Luffa: 5 tips to clean the vegetable sponge and avoid bacteria

Luffa: 5 tips to clean the vegetable sponge and avoid bacteria

The loofah, the completely vegetable sponge derived from the drying of the homonymous vegetable belonging to the Cucurbitaceae family, very similar to a common zucchini, hides a pitfall. It can host and transmit a rather dangerous bacterium, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, causing, in some cases, quite serious infections.


He is about to end up run over, his mother saves him




La loofah, the completely vegetable sponge derived from the drying of the homonymous vegetable belonging to the Cucurbitaceae family, very similar to a common courgette, it hides a pitfall. It can host and transmit a rather dangerous bacterium, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, causing, in some cases, quite serious infections.

A 1994 study published in the Journal of Clinical Microbiology would show that the popular beauty product, if badly stored, becomes a perfect location for the proliferation of the bacterium. What happens to the eco-friendly sponge when we finish taking a shower he explains to The Huffington Post Esther Angert, from Cornell University's Department of Microbiology:

“The loofah is hygienic, to begin with. It is the way it is kept that determines its longevity. The shower is a nice wet environment - there is no good air circulation, and it is a ideal place for the growth of bacteria, which eat any organic matter - like the exfoliated skin cells that remain in the loofah “.

Whenever the loofah gets wet and doesn't dry well, therefore, organisms grow, and grow. Thus, at the next wash, instead of cleansing the skin, microorganisms will spread over the body. And in some specific conditions, such as in the case of immunosuppression, the bacterium P. aeruginosa can cause infections of the lung, skin, urinary tract, ear or eye, for example.

However, there are some tricks that could prevent this from happening in any way:

Index

Let it dry

Store the loofah out of the humid environment of the bathroom so that it can dry completely between showers.

Wash before and after use

To be even more careful, wash and rinse your loofah before and after use.



Replace

If the loofah changes color or smell, it's time to use a new one

Microwave

Daily cleaning is essential, but in addition to properly washing and drying the loofah out of the shower, occasionally pass it in the microwave for 20 seconds when it is still wet.


Disinfect

To kill bacteria it can also be useful to disinfect our loofah at regular intervals. Obviously it is preferable to use a ecological and natural solution, such as hydrogen peroxide.


READ Hydrogen peroxide: 10 interesting uses for the home and for the person

Roberta Ragni

Read also:

How to make an eco-sponge from a… courgette. Grow loofah!

Luffa, the vegetable sponge: how to use it and where to find it

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