Quick question: how old is the thing you wash with every day?
If you had to stop and think, you're not alone. Most of us grabbed a plastic shower puff at the supermarket, hung it over the tap and never gave it another thought.
So let's give it one.
The short answer
Cleveland Clinic dermatologist Dr Melissa Piliang recommends replacing a plastic shower puff about every two months, and a plant loofah every three to four weeks. Replace either one sooner if it smells musty or shows any sign of mould.
If you can't remember when you bought yours, that's probably your answer.
First, what actually is a loofah?
A true loofah is a plant. It's the dried, fibrous inside of a gourd in the cucumber family.
The colourful mesh puff hanging in most Australian showers isn't a loofah at all. It's plastic netting, gathered into a ball. We just borrowed the name.
Why a shower puff needs replacing so often
It stays damp. Tightly bunched mesh holds water in its folds, and it hangs in the warmest, steamiest room in the house. It rarely dries all the way through between showers.
It holds on to what you wash off. Soap, body wash and dead skin collect in the mesh with every use. Cleveland Clinic goes as far as describing loofahs as a breeding ground for bacteria, which is why replacement and drying matter so much. We've looked at this in more detail in Is Your Shower Puff Making You Sick?
It ends up in landfill. A plastic puff can't be composted or recycled through your kerbside bin. Every replacement is another one in the rubbish.
Signs yours is past it
- It smells musty, even straight after rinsing
- It has dark spots or discolouration
- The mesh is frayed, flattened or coming apart
- You genuinely can't remember when you bought it
The natural alternative
Long before plastic, people around the Mediterranean washed with natural sea sponges. They still do.
Our sponges are formed by the sea and hand harvested by divers in Kalymnos, Greece, through traditional Mediterranean diving methods that allow the sponge to regenerate naturally. They're hand trimmed in Greece, then checked by hand and packed with care in Melbourne.
What you notice first is the feel. A natural sea sponge softens completely in warm water and gives a rich, creamy lather with very little soap.
What you notice later is how it holds up. A natural sea sponge has a naturally porous structure, so water flows through its tiny channels rather than sitting trapped inside. Our Luxe Honeycomb has a particularly open structure that rinses through easily and helps it dry between uses.
How long a natural sea sponge lasts
With good care, an Aqua Zoi body sponge typically lasts six to twelve months or longer, depending on the individual sponge, how often it's used and how well it's looked after. Our Luxe Bath Sponge lasts around 12 months.
There's no expiry date stamped on the bottom. You're looking at its condition. It's time for a new one when:
- It's beginning to break apart, or large sections are coming away
- Its structure has become very thin or weak
- It keeps an odour after proper cleaning and drying
And when it's done, it's not another plastic puff in landfill. A natural sea sponge is biodegradable.
How to look after it
The routine is short:
- Rinse it thoroughly under running water after every use.
- Squeeze out the water. Don't twist or wring it. Think squeeze, not strangle.
- Air dry it somewhere with good airflow, not sitting in a puddle or sealed away while damp.
- Refresh it occasionally with a 5 to 10 minute soak in a bowl of warm water with a tablespoon of bicarbonate of soda dissolved in it. Rinse, squeeze and dry as usual.
Skip boiling water, bleach and harsh disinfectants. They damage the sponge's natural fibres and aren't needed for everyday care. Our full care guide has the details, including the coastal tip of giving it a soak in clean seawater.
The bottom line
Plastic shower puff: about every two months, or sooner if it smells or looks tired.
Natural sea sponge: six to twelve months or longer, judged by its condition rather than the calendar.
If your puff has been hanging there a while, this might be the moment to retire it.
Find your sponge
Not sure where to start? Most people begin with the Luxe Bath Sponge, our bestseller, for everyday body washing. The Fino Facial Sponge is our finest texture, for face cleansing and makeup removal. The firmer Wild Sea Sponge is for people who like more texture.
Still deciding? Which Natural Sea Sponge Is Right for You? walks you through it, or shop natural bath and shower sponges. Ships from Melbourne, with free shipping over $105.
Source: Cleveland Clinic, Loofahs Can Double as Bacterial Breeding Grounds
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