The idea of using a bar of soap over a loofah just seems crazy and kind of gross. No one wants to use a bar of soap, for one, it feels disgusting and secondly, it seems like that gross residue feeling is more apparent from using a bar of soap.

Loofahs are a great way to exfoliate, they're easy, and clean, or so we thought.

It turns out loofahs are quite disgusting and here's why.

Before we all sprint to the bathroom and throw out our loofahs, they aren't all bad. Loofahs are great for exfoliating your skin. They work by removing dead skin cells leaving the skin smooth and conditioned. Scrubbing the skin two to three times a week will enhance circulation and promote the excretory function of the skin.

The problem here is pretty obvious, where does the dead skin go? Yeah, that's the gross part. The dead skin cell's fall right from your body and find a nice home on your loofah.

Loofahs, are the perfect home for bacteria and mold. Loofahs have been seen to most commonly contain two different organisms including  acinetobacter. This can cause wound infections, boils and conjunctivitis, and yeast, the most common form of which is Candida. Candida can cause rashes around the mouth called perleche, as well as other various rashes and infections.

This bacteria is attracted to moisture and loves to grow in the nook and crannies of a loofah.

Here is how to keep it clean:

So, are the benefits good enough to outweigh the risk? Probably not, these things are pretty gross. But if you're too hooked on the loofah lifestyle to ever give it up, there are some things to do to ensure it's clean and not crawling with bacteria.

Replace it

These are not a one time buy. They will get gross after a short amount of time. Try to replace it every three to four weeks.

Store it right

Do not keep it in the shower between uses. Keep it in a cool dry place with no moisture. Also, let it dry completely between uses, shaking it out after you use it will help it dry faster.

Buy the right one

Buy loofahs made out of natural substances rather than synthetic materials such as the most common, plastic ones.

These tips won't ensure your loofah will be the cleanest and safest thing to wash yourself with, but it will definitely help. We suggest using your hands and soap to wash yourself or a clean cloth as a better alternative.