Pure-n-Simple Soap

The Loofah sponge surprisingly is the one sponge that does not come from the ocean, and can be easily grown in the garden.  This is a Mediterranean native that requires a warm and long growing season.  If you live in a shorter growing season such as New York, it is best to start your seeds inside to get a head start then transplant them to the garden.  This gourd grows on a vine at lengths of up to 30 feet, so be sure to have a fence, trellis or garden tee-pee for it to grow on.  The loofah is a gourd that makes the wonderful loofah sponge which is commonly used for skin exfoliation.  We mold our soaps into the loofah sponge creating a loofah filled goat’s milk soap bar.  These soap bars are wonderful for skin exfoliation and when the soap has depleted you can simply wash your sponge out with vinegar and water, and get several more months use from the sponge.

To prepare the sponge to be molded with soap, the sponge must be cleaned and dried out.  When the sponge is dry we cut the middle section out, kind of like the core of an apple, this section is harder than the rest of the sponge and is great for leaving at the kitchen sink for scrubbing those really nasty pots and pans.  After we cut the middle section out, we then take the sponge and seal off the end and sides with either a plastic bag or plastic wrap leaving one end open to pour in the soap, then seal and let sit for 24 hours.  After the insulation the plastic comes off and  the sponge soap bar then sits for 4- 6 weeks to cure.  After the soap has cured we then slice the bar in half, and  now the Loofah soap bar is ready to be used.