How to clean a gourd.

You have decided to start crafting gourds but you have a gourd that hasn't been cleaned yet. How do you get the dried skin and mold off so you can decorate your gourd? Let me show you how.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• copper scrubber
• rubber gloves
• sink or tub for water
• butter knife
• wire brush
• soap

1. You will need to wet the gourd. Fill a sink or tub with water and place the gourd in it. Roll it around or lay a wet towel over it. Wait about 15 minutes. You can add some soap if you wish but it is not absolutely necessary.

2. You can also place gourds in a black plastic bag, spray them with water, close bag up and leave in sun during the summer. This can help soften the skin.

3. Wear rubber gloves. The mold on the gourd can be irritating for someone with allergies and can cause rashes.

4. If the gourd has lots of skin to remove, I sometimes use the butter knife first to scrape some off, then I go over it with the copper scrubber. The butter knife is also great for stubborn skin.

5. The stem also has skin that must be removed. Use the wire brush to clean the stem and around the bottom flower bud scar. The butter knife comes in handy in these areas also.

6. Rinse the gourd and inspect it to make sure all skin is removed. Now let it dry for a couple days before crafting.

Tips & Warnings

• Cleaning gourds is a great time to find out if the shell is solid. When a thin shelled gourd gets wet, it can get soft. If you feel the shell give a little under your fingers your gourd has a weak area and may not work for what you had planned.
• Be sure and store your cleaned gourd in a dry area because it can grow mold again if stored where it is damp or humid.
• Store in a dark area out of the sun to keep the skin from getting bleached.

Resources

• Gourd Information