How to Make Gifts From Loofah Plants

The loofah or luffa plant produces long seed pods filled with a network of fibers that when dried are ideal for exfoliating. This fiber is commonly referred to as loofah. Sometimes used in flower arrangements in place of Spanish moss, the loofah is best known for its use as an exfoliate. There are a wide range of gifts you can make with loofah like sponges, soaps and slippers.

Harvesting the loofah fruit is the hardest part of the process. Peeling back the layers of the fruit reveals the nest of fibers you will use to create your gifts. This article explains the harvesting process and several ideas for loofah crafts.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Large kitchen knife
• Kitchen shears
• 1 cup bleach
• 3-gallon cleaning bucket
• Plastic soap molds
• Scented oils (optional)
• Glycerin soap chunks
• 1 pair backless spa slippers
• Basic sewing kit

Harvest and Prep the Loofah Fruit

1. Cut a loofah gourd from the vine at the stem. Choose one with loose, leathery skin. Find a weak spot and spread the skin apart with your thumbs. The skin will peel back in long strips much like a banana peel, exposing the network of loofah fibers inside.

2. Soak the loofah in a solution of 1 cup bleach in 3-gallons of water. Bleaching will disinfect the loofah and remove any dark spots for a nicer looking finished product.

3. Dry the loofah. Depending on your craft project, you will either want to go ahead and dry the loofah or complete the craft while it's pliable, then allow the craft to dry. To dry first, lay loofah in sun and rotate every hour until completely dry.

Make Loofah Gifts

4. Make a loofah bath sponge by extracting the whole loofah, bleaching and drying as in Section 1. This cylindrical product will then be ready to use in the bath or shower.

5. Create loofah soap by following Steps 1 and 2 in Section 1. Slice the wet loofah into one-inch circular sections and allow to dry. Place dried slices into soap molds. Melt glycerin for 40 seconds in the microwave, add optional scented oils, and pour over loofah slices in soap molds. Set aside to harden, then pop soap bars out of the molds.

6. Use loofah in flower arrangements by extracting the loofah and cutting a slit down one side so it rolls out into a flat sheet. Bleach as instructed in Section 1, Step 2. Make the loofah better to work with by fluffing and loosening the fibers in your hands. Shake excess water from loofah and allow it to dry partially. While the loofah is still a little bit pliable, spread it across the top of a flower arrangement to add life to the soil.

7. Make slippers more comfortable and exfoliating by stitching loofah into the foot beds. Dry the loofah in a flat sheet as you did in Section 2, Step 3. Buy a pair of cheap slippers---covered toes with open backs are ideal. Trace the sole of each slipper onto the sheet of completely dried loofah. Cut just to the inside of the lines because the slipper's inside is slightly smaller. Slide loofah into slippers, pin where needed to secure the loofah and stitch into place around the slipper.

Tips & Warnings

• These gifts are even more special given together as a spa set.
• Dress up your soap by adding dried flowers to the glycerin and loofah before drying.
• Always dry loofah products thoroughly between use and never store them in the shower. Wet loofahs are known to harbor infection-causing bacteria.

References

• Harvesting Luffa Sponges
• Luffa Soap Project