Cleaning the Interior
After opening the gourd you need to remove the pulp and seeds. Dust from
the pulp can be a respiratory irritant, so it is advised that you either
wear a dust mask (the paper ones work fine) or dampen the pulp prior
to cleaning. If you plan to clean out a lot of gourds, you should
purchase a respirator type mask available from gourd supply vendors.
Please take this precaution to prevent illness...
Any number of common household objects can be used to loosen the pulp
and seeds for removal. Duct tape can be wrapped around a knife or saw
blade to protect the surface of the cut area from damage. Just work the object
around inside the gourd until you have everything loose and broken in small
enough pieces to remove through the cut out area. How thoroughly you clean
the gourd depends on your intended use. Seeds may be saved and planted
or used for decorating the gourd. Seeds need to be dried prior to saving if
damp when removed. Pulp may be used for making paper or compost.
Once the pulp and seed have been removed the interior of the gourd may be
scoured, just like the exterior, to achieve smoothness. The interior may also
be sanded with sandpaper. The inside nipple (the little piece that sticks up
inside at the bottom of the gourd) can be removed by twisting it off with pliers.
If you'ved dampened the gourd during cleaning, it needs to be allowed to dry
before continuing with crafting.To view the cleaning process step by step click
After opening the gourd you need to remove the pulp and seeds. Dust from
the pulp can be a respiratory irritant, so it is advised that you either
wear a dust mask (the paper ones work fine) or dampen the pulp prior
to cleaning. If you plan to clean out a lot of gourds, you should
purchase a respirator type mask available from gourd supply vendors.
Please take this precaution to prevent illness...
Any number of common household objects can be used to loosen the pulp
and seeds for removal. Duct tape can be wrapped around a knife or saw
blade to protect the surface of the cut area from damage. Just work the object
around inside the gourd until you have everything loose and broken in small
enough pieces to remove through the cut out area. How thoroughly you clean
the gourd depends on your intended use. Seeds may be saved and planted
or used for decorating the gourd. Seeds need to be dried prior to saving if
damp when removed. Pulp may be used for making paper or compost.
Once the pulp and seed have been removed the interior of the gourd may be
scoured, just like the exterior, to achieve smoothness. The interior may also
be sanded with sandpaper. The inside nipple (the little piece that sticks up
inside at the bottom of the gourd) can be removed by twisting it off with pliers.
If you'ved dampened the gourd during cleaning, it needs to be allowed to dry
before continuing with crafting.To view the cleaning process step by step click
Cleaning the Exterior
Most gourd projects begin with a gourd that has the outer skin removed so that the hard,
smooth shell is exposed. I like to think of the cleaning process as turning an ugly duckling
into a swan.
To clean the outer skin from a gourd, simply dampen the skin with water and scrub it off with
a Copper pad (the type you use to scrub pots). There are a number of ways to dampen the
skin. I prefer running water or a quick submersion in a bucket or tub. If the skin is stubborn,
the gourd may be submerged and soaked for 15 minutes, or more. Warm water seems to
speed the process a little. Do not soak longer than necessary as soaking may soften the
shell. Detergent or bleach may be added to the cleaning water, but is not necessary. A
plastic garbage bag may be used as a vessel for soaking the gourd if you don't have a large
enough tub. You can also wrap the gourd in a wet towel and allow it to set a while. Once
dampened, simply scour off the skin and rinse. Do not attempt to remove the outer skin
with sandpaper, as this will scratch the shell. After cleaning the outer skin off, the
gourd will need to be allowed to dry before crafting. If you find the pattern on the skin
attractive, it may be left intact. Overtime the skin may loosen and flake off on its own. You
can use an acrylic sealer or some other type of protective finish to help prevent this.
For step by step cleaning instructions click
Most gourd projects begin with a gourd that has the outer skin removed so that the hard,
smooth shell is exposed. I like to think of the cleaning process as turning an ugly duckling
into a swan.
To clean the outer skin from a gourd, simply dampen the skin with water and scrub it off with
a Copper pad (the type you use to scrub pots). There are a number of ways to dampen the
skin. I prefer running water or a quick submersion in a bucket or tub. If the skin is stubborn,
the gourd may be submerged and soaked for 15 minutes, or more. Warm water seems to
speed the process a little. Do not soak longer than necessary as soaking may soften the
shell. Detergent or bleach may be added to the cleaning water, but is not necessary. A
plastic garbage bag may be used as a vessel for soaking the gourd if you don't have a large
enough tub. You can also wrap the gourd in a wet towel and allow it to set a while. Once
dampened, simply scour off the skin and rinse. Do not attempt to remove the outer skin
with sandpaper, as this will scratch the shell. After cleaning the outer skin off, the
gourd will need to be allowed to dry before crafting. If you find the pattern on the skin
attractive, it may be left intact. Overtime the skin may loosen and flake off on its own. You
can use an acrylic sealer or some other type of protective finish to help prevent this.
For step by step cleaning instructions click
| Cleaning |
