Everyone has a preferred way of getting clean in the shower: a pouf, a washcloth, or nothing at all beyond a bar of soap and bare hands.
A pouf, or loofah, is a dense, mesh-like ball that creates a nice lather and exfoliates skin in the shower. A washcloth works differently: it's easier to reach nooks and crannies and it's a natural fit for travel, but it doesn't lather or exfoliate the same way, and soap can feel like it just sits on the skin when applied with one.
Keeping Clean: Should You Use a Bath Sponge, Shower Pouf or Washcloth?
It turns out washcloths are prone to bacteria buildup due to the warm, damp environment they live in.
"When used, germs [on a dirty washcloth] are then spread or reintroduced to the skin, which can cause irritation and even infection," said board-certified dermatologist Dr. Hadley King in conversation with Marie Claire's Chelsea Peng.
Much like washcloths, poufs are breeding grounds for bacteria due to the moist and warm conditions in which they are kept. According to a study published in the Journal of Clinical Microbiology, using a loofah every day allows dead skin cells to get stuck in the mesh.
Moreover, the study found that loofahs could contain a wide range of bacteria, and that this overgrowth can happen over the course of a single day. If a germ-laden loofah is used to scrub over freshly shaved skin, that bacteria could cause skin irritation and even infection.
It seems these man-made cleansing tools can do more harm than good in the bathroom, which is part of why a natural, eco-friendly pouf alternative made from sea sponge has become an increasingly popular option.
Switching From Shower Pouf to Shower Sponge
Public Goods' sea sponge boasts antibacterial and antifungal properties. The bath sponge is sustainably sourced from Greece, using the "hardhead" variety of sponge. It has a luxurious feel that is gentle enough to wash a baby but has an exfoliating power that gives a good scrub.
The Mother Nature Network explains that sea sponges are some of the oldest and simplest multicellular animals that survive by circulating water and nutrients through their numerous pores and channels, which means they function almost like plants.
These sponges are harvested in one of two ways: they are either cut from the sea floor with knives or torn loose with long hooks. The sponge will regenerate if enough is left behind. Because they are basically plants, they are biodegradable and have natural enzymes that help prevent the growth of bacteria, mold and mildew.
The experience of using a sea sponge is different from that of using a mesh pouf or a washcloth. A bath sponge is typically about the size of a palm, small enough to be a bit tricky to hold onto in the shower. Because it softens when wet, it's incredibly pliable and can fit into every nook and cranny that needs cleaning, though its softness can also cause it to break apart a bit with repeated scrubbing, especially with the first few uses.
Like a washcloth, a sea sponge won't produce much of a lather, but its ability to exfoliate falls somewhere between the grit of a mesh loofah and the towel-like texture of a washcloth, a nice middle ground.
Compared to a mesh pouf that's constantly soaking up moisture in the air, and, as the research above suggests, bacteria along with it, a sea sponge does the job just as well while looking a lot more at home in the shower.
With all the attention people are paying to what goes into and onto their bodies, the sustainability and cleanliness of a sea sponge make it well worth trying in place of a loofah or washcloth.
Leave a comment