How to Clean Your Loofah (And When to Replace It)

Most people have never really cleaned their loofah. They rinse it under the shower stream, squeeze it once, and hang it back up. That feels like enough. After a few weeks, it usually isn't.

A natural loofah is a plant fiber, porous and open-textured, which is exactly what makes it effective at exfoliating. That same structure also means it holds on to things: dead skin, soap residue, moisture. White Lifa products combine natural loofah with terry cloth or foam, which adds softness and usability, but also means the care needs to account for all the materials involved. A soak that works on a plain loofah might not be right for a product that also has fabric or a foam layer.

The routine is simple once you know what actually helps.

After every shower

Rinse the product thoroughly under running water, squeezing as you go until the water runs clear. This matters more than most people realize. Soap and skin residue left in the loofah fibers or foam layer are what cause the smell and the breakdown, not the water itself.

After rinsing, shake it out and hang it somewhere it can dry completely between uses. This is the step that makes the biggest difference. A loofah that stays damp inside an enclosed shower, folded against a wall or sitting in a caddy, is collecting the conditions for bacteria and mildew to form. A hook with airflow, near a window or outside the shower, changes how the product performs across its whole life.

Once a week

A deeper clean keeps things properly fresh. The simplest method: mix equal parts white vinegar and warm water, submerge the loofah, and let it soak for five to ten minutes. Vinegar is effective at neutralizing bacteria and odors, and it's gentle enough for all the materials in White Lifa's products — the loofah fiber, the terry, and the foam. Rinse thoroughly afterward and let it dry completely.

If you'd rather skip the vinegar, baking soda dissolved in warm water works well as a deodorizing soak. About a tablespoon in two cups of water, fifteen minutes, then a thorough rinse. It's a gentler option and just as easy.

For the loofah-towel products specifically, a gentle machine wash is also an option: cold or warm water, a delicate cycle, mild detergent. Skip the fabric softener — it coats the terry fibers and reduces absorbency over time. Air dry or tumble dry on low.

What to avoid

Hot water above around 60°C can damage the foam and cause the terry to shrink. Bleach is not recommended for combo products: it's hard on natural loofah fibers and degrades foam with repeated use, shortening the product's life considerably. Avoid wringing the loofah core forcefully, which breaks the fibers over time. And never mix vinegar and bleach — not at any concentration.

What you're watching for

A loofah in good shape smells neutral after drying, holds its structure, and feels consistent in use. The signals that it's time to replace:

A smell that doesn't clear after a proper clean. That's usually the first sign.

Visible discoloration in the loofah fibers that doesn't rinse out. Or any dark spots that persist after washing.

A texture that's breaking down — loofah fibers becoming limp or starting to shed, foam losing its shape or starting to crumble.

When to replace

With regular rinsing and weekly cleaning, a White Lifa product typically lasts three to four weeks. The natural loofah fiber sets the timeline more than the towel or foam does — even a clean-looking loofah starts to harbor bacteria past that point. The good news is that the product usually tells you before it becomes a real problem.

Replacing monthly is not excessive. It's the rhythm the product works on, and it means you're always getting full performance from it.