Almost any exfoliating bath product may be called a loofah, but true loofah fibers come from the fruit of the Luffa aegyptiaca vine. If the growing season is long enough, the luffa vines produce squashlike gourds. The gourds are peeled and smashed to remove the skin, pulp and seeds, leaving the coarse loofah fibers behind. The loofah is then sliced, dried and sewn into the familiar variety of mitts, scrubbers and other bath products.
Step 1
Wet your loofah thoroughly. If you’re using a new loofah for the first time, squeeze it repeatedly to extract any hidden seeds that may have remained during the harvest process.
Step 2
Squeeze a small dollop of your favorite liquid soap onto the loofah, or rub your favorite soap bar against it. Squeeze the loofah several times to evenly distribute the soap.
Step 3
Massage your skin gently with the soapy loofah. Take special care to massage young skin gently.
Step 4
Rinse the loofah thoroughly after use and hang to dry. Sanitize and deep-clean your loofah periodically, if you so desire, by washing it in the washing machine and tumbling it dry.
Tips and Warnings
- If more than one person shares your shower, purchase loofahs of different shapes or colors, or tag them with a color-coded piece of thread around the cord, so you don’t have to worry about accidentally grabbing someone else’s loofah. Let the loofah dry fully between uses.
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