What the heck is Loofah anyway?

What the heck is Loofah anyway?

Buckle up because we're about to unravel the exciting world of loofahs – these quirky, nature-born wonders make up the scrubbing part of our Cleaner Sponge. We won't lie, we are loofah fan-girls and the goal of this blog post is to indocrinate you into loofah fandom as well. Let's not delay, here is our best and brightest loofah propaganda:

What is loofah?

First things first, let's answer the most important question, what the heck is a loofah? Most people first encounter the loofah outside of it's natural habitat, as a bathing scrub buddy, but they didn't start there. Here are our most favorite loofah facts:

  1. Botanical Origins: The loofah plant, scientifically known as Luffa aegyptiaca or Luffa cylindrica, is a member of the gourd family, Cucurbitaceae and native to Southeast Asia. It's related to cucumbers, pumpkins, and melons.

  2. Dual-Purpose Plant: The loofah plant is fascinating because it can be cultivated for both culinary purposes and as a natural sponge!!! WHHHAAATTTTT???!!!! Tender, baby loofahs are edible and used in soups and stir-fries.

  3. Sponge Production: The loofah we use is from a more mature fruit, the fibrous network inside makes it perfect for creating natural sponges. Once the loofah is fully grown and dried, the skin and seeds are removed, leaving behind the fibrous skeleton that you can find our our Cleaner Sponge.

  4. Goodness from Seed to Sponge: If you weren't already brainwashed into loving loofah, know this, like most plants loofah absorbs carbon dioxide during growth, helping to mitigate climate change (they're also known to enrich the soil they're grown in). 

Why we LOVE a loofah sponge: 

  1. Absorberation Station: Loofahs have a superpower – they transform from brittle and dry to expansive and scrubby when wet - making them perfect to scour pots and leftover messes. 
  2. Loofahs Last: Despite being all-natural, the loofah in our sponges lasts and holds onto its scrubbing power for weeks. We use each one of ours for an average of three weeks before swapping it out for a new one. 
  3. All the benefits of all-natural: Using loofah instead of plastic sponges makes a difference in your sink and outside. Without plastic, loofah sponges dry more quickly, leaving less room for bacteria to proliferate into a stinky mess. And, whether you compost or trash your sponge, they are 100% biodegradable and will dissolve into plant food in just a few months. 


    So, did it work? Do you love loofah as much as we do? Are you obsessed with this natural wonder? Are you prepared to takeover all conversations with loofah facts in an attempt to brainwash everyone you speak to? Yes? Great, our job here is done. We hope you enjoy your new life as a loofah-lover, and don't forget that that these beautiful wonders are a refreshing addition to your clean kitchen routine.