*Soaking Gourds In A Tub Of Water*

Place your gourds in a tub and fill with water. Gourds float so you will want to place a wet towel over the top, or put a lid with something heavy on top to hold the gourds down into the water. Let them soak for 20-40 minutes. Then pull them out of the water and scrub with a copper or stainless steel scrubber. If they are hard to clean then put them back in to soak.

*Soaking Gourds In A Black Garbage Sack*

Wrap a wet towel around your gourds and place in a black garbage sack. Then set your bag in the sun. The humidity will build in the bag making the gourd skin easy to clean.

*Soaking Gourds In Potting Soil*

Place your gourds in a tub and pour potting soil over top. Do this in layers so that potting soil is covering the gourds and the gourds are not touching eachother. Wet the potting soil enought to keep it moist but not making it soggy. Wait 3-5 days and pull the gourds out. The microbeale activity in the potting soil will break down the gourd skin. Dont leave the gourds in for too long or the potting soil will stain the wood of the gourd a darker color.

*Some Things To Be Aware Of When Cleaning Gourds*

* Most importantly Gourds are filled with mold spores. When cleaning the inside always wear a dust mask or resperator. You can also fill the gourd with bleach water and let it sit for a few minutes before you begin cleaning.

* If your gourd becomes heavy and filled with water, then drill a small hole in an inconspicuas place and it will dry out.

* If the cleaning tool or scraper you are using scratches your gourd, then use a fine grit sand paper and sand the outside until you no longer see the scratch marks.

* Remember there is no wrong way to clean a gourd! So use what ever tool you find that works the best for you.

Happy Gourding!