# How to pulverize Loofah



## khermsen (Sep 21, 2011)

I have been unsuccessful in pulverizing Loofah, it is tough stuff.  I have tried a coffee grinder, any suggestions?


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## saltydog (Sep 28, 2011)

khermsen said:
			
		

> I have been unsuccessful in pulverizing Loofah, it is tough stuff.  I have tried a coffee grinder, any suggestions?



Don't get too excited, I'd like an answer, too, lol..


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## Lotsofsuds (Sep 29, 2011)

I am not sure either because I have never tried but  How about maybe a food processor?


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## Fragola (Sep 30, 2011)

I didn't try loofah, but I suggest a multi step approach, which means find things able to cut it into bigger pieces, then small pieces, then powder.

I don't know what appliances you own, but you need something with a tough blade. 

Worst case, using a sharp knife, cut it to slices, then slices to stripes and stripes to small pieces. After which throw it again into the coffee grinder or some sort of grain mill and use a hairthin strainer to separate the powder from the coarse stuff.


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## dieSpinne (Sep 30, 2011)

as with all things cellulose, a good soak in vinegar for 24 hours, followed by a solid baking at very low temp for a long time will render the loofah very brittle.  At that point, you should be able to crumble it into smaller pieces and run it through the food processor or a coffee mill set on superfine.

This knowledge brought to you from the textile and fiber preparation Arts, which tells us that this exactly the thing NOT to do to cellulose fibers, since that will cause them to become brittle and fall apart.
:roll:

ETA: I might add that once the vinegar soak is done, you should rinse the vinegar off so as not to east up extra lye when you soap with the loofah crumbs


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## saltydog (Sep 30, 2011)

dieSpinne said:
			
		

> as with all things cellulose, a good soak in vinegar for 24 hours, followed by a solid baking at very low temp for a long time will render the loofah very brittle.  At that point, you should be able to crumble it into smaller pieces and run it through the food processor or a coffee mill set on superfine.
> 
> This knowledge brought to you from the textile and fiber preparation Arts, which tells us that this exactly the thing NOT to do to cellulose fibers, since that will cause them to become brittle and fall apart.
> :roll:
> ...



Wow! Great info, thank you!!


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## Fragola (Sep 30, 2011)

Interesting info.

Can you specify the baking temperature range ? The purpose of the baking process is only to evaporate the water or you need to burn the fibers to a certain degree ?


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## dieSpinne (Sep 30, 2011)

I believe the baking is mostly to desiccate the fibers...

In fiber prep, animal fibers generally like more acidic conditions, and hate basic ones.

With vegetable fibers, which are mostly made of cellulose, it is the other way around.

This is why we can incorporate loofah into the very basic solution of the raw soap and it will still be there when you are done, but silk (which is proteinaceous) will dissolve in the Lye.

With the acidic environs of vinegar, it starts the process of decomposition with the cellulose, though not entirely, as it takes a LONG time to dissolve cellulose and other complex carbohydrates in vinegar... it is usually enough to make them brittle though.

The baking is a desiccation process which accelerates the brittleness... I would say 170°F is plenty... you don't necessarily want to char the loofah, or even brown it much... 

I should probably do some actual experimentation to get idealized soaking and baking times for loofah specifically.  I know from experience what happens when you acidify cellulose, as well as what happens when you bake it super dry.  I figure doing both should complete the process of brittling and decomposition most of the way.


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## Soapy Gurl (Sep 30, 2011)

You can buy it ground up for soap making, it would save you a lot of work.  I wonder if you could just cheat and chop it into pieces while wet and then blend them in water and strain them?

dieSpinne - thanks for the great info.  I found it really interesting!


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## khermsen (Oct 1, 2011)

Soapy Gurl said:
			
		

> You can buy it ground up for soap making, it would save you a lot of work.  I wonder if you could just cheat and chop it into pieces while wet and then blend them in water and strain them?



I have purchased ground loofah, unfortunately it has been on back order.

dieSpinne - thanks for the great info.


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