26 July 2023 , 16:55
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How often do you wash your loofah? Don't worry if it's something you've never considered before, as you certainly aren't alone.
Those who naturally assumed the loofah was being washed along with their body in the shower may be in for a bit of a shock following one woman's revelation that she washes hers every single week.
Loofahs are typically made of dried gourd or synthetic plastic and can work magic when it comes to cleaning and exfoliating skin, helping scrub away dead skin cells, and generally giving you a bit more of a youthful glow.
These handy bathroom tools are also pretty effective when it comes to stimulating blood circulation, helping you hop out of the shower, pumped, refreshed, and ready to take on the day. They do need a bit of taking care of, however, as they can become a hotbed for nasty bacteria.
Taking to one Facebook cleaning group, as previously reported by Kidspot, one houseproud woman left her fellow members startled after revealing she gives her loofahs a good wash every week.
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She wrote: "I wash our loofahs with our towels. They are definitely more hygienic than a flannel that holds all the gunk in its fibres. How often do you wash yours?"
Some stunned respondents replied sarcastically, with one quipping: "Common knowledge that absolutely everyone, including myself, totally knows right? Like... no one would ever use them for like three to six months at a time and never think to wash them because that had just never occurred to them until they saw this post... because that would be gross obviously."
Another deadpanned: "Definitely, and absolutely not after three years of owning one."
Others expressed surprise that this was even a thing, with a third person gasping: "OMG, I was like... we're meant to wash these? I'm glad everyone is also like WTF."
A fourth remarked: "I've never washed mine, only in the shower after use."
According to Healthline, when loofahs are hung up to dry in the bathroom, they will still soak up plenty of steam residue from your shower, and the subsequent mixture of dead skin cells and moisture is far from an ideal combination.
This can create a breeding ground for harmful bacteria, including e.Coli, which, with certain strains, may cause stomach pain, vomiting, and diarrhoea. In some more serious cases, as per the World Health Organisation (WHO), e.Coli infections may lead to kidney failure, and could prove life-threatening. especially among young children and the elderly.
It's therefore important to regularly, and correctly, clean your loofah, and the method suggested by Healthline is pretty much exactly what the woman in the cleaning group swears by.
Rather than leaving it to hang out on a hook near your shower or bath, loofah users are advised to wring out any moisture with a dry towel before storing it in a "cool, dry place" well away from your bathroom.
Weekly cleans are also recommended, with a diluted water mixture of 10 per cent bleach said to reduce any risk of bacterial contamination. After dipping your loofah in the mixture for five minutes, you should give it a thorough rinse with cool water, before drying it out and hanging it in your usual cool place.
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