How to Form a Luffa

Many soapers add luffa slices to their soaps for added exfoliation.

Forming a luffa is a fairly easy project that involves more gardening than technical processes. Luffa plants are members of the gourd family and related to other plants like pumpkins and cucumbers. As the luffa plant matures, its fruit becomes filled with fibers. Theses fibers are eaten, as well as allowed to dry out for cosmetic uses.

Things You'll Need

• Luffa fruit
• Scissors
• Knife
• Cutting board
• Bleach
• Water
• Bucket

Instructions

1. Make sure you're using a mature luffa fruit and allow it to dry completely.

2. Use scissors to cut the skin of the luffa fruit away, leaving only the fibers behind. The fibers will be bound together in the shape of the fruit.

3. Shake the seeds from the luffa fibers. You may need to slice it in half or cut an end off to remove all the seeds. Save the removed seeds if you want to use them for your next planting season.

4. Cut your luffa into sections using your knife. Make sure you're doing this on a safe cutting surface like a cutting board.

5. Prepare a mild bleach water solution in a gallon-sized bucket. Fill the bucket with 1 gallon of lukewarm water and mix in 1 tbsp. of bleach.

6. Soak your luffa pieces in the mild bleach solution for one hour.

7. Let the luffa pieces dry thoroughly before use.

Tips & Warnings

• Store your luffas in a dry place.

• Let your luffas dry completely between uses.

• Soak the luffas in a mild bleach solution or wash with antibacterial soap periodically to keep bacteria from growing.

References

• Luffa.info: Hompage
• All Family Resources: Practices to Reduce Diseases and Injury: Cleaning and Disinfection