How to Clean Gourds for Crafts

Before I begin my  tutorial on how to clean gourds for crafts, I want to tell you a little about them. I have been working with gourds since the mid 80's and they are still one of my favorite painting surfaces.

The gourd is in the pumpkin family and some are edible. Unlike a pumpkin, a gourd will dry and the surface will be wood like. When asked how long a dried gourd will last, my husband always says it lacks two days lasting forever…don't ask, you have to know Mike!

Gourds are native to Africa and the bottle gourd is thought to be the oldest plant domesticated by humans. They have been used as musical instruments, masks, pipes, canteens, sponges, water jugs, flower pots and the list goes on. Gourds have become popular in American crafts, include country primitives, as bird houses, Painted santas, used as doll heads, woodburned and painted baskets, lamps, and more!

Gourd seeds should be planted in the early spring after any threat of frost. The plant looks much like a pumpkin or squash vine. A gourd loves sunshine, water and good drainage.

When the vine and leaves begin drying out it is about time for harvest. Check the vines for moisture because they can look brown on the outside and still have moisture on the inside. To insure the gourd is ready for picking, you should wait until the stem on which the gourd is attached is hard or brittle and dry.

Green gourds should never be stored inside your home to dry because of the many types of mold that grow on them during the drying process. The gourd will dry quickest if it can get air and sunshine. It will also dry stored in a shed or even left out in the field.

Several types of mold grow on the gourd making it look like it is decaying. So, don't throw your drying gourd away because it is black and nasty looking…that's just the gourd doin' it's thang!

How to Clean Gourds Step by Step

I am cleaning egg gourds for this tutorial because the size will be easy to work with. You will use the same process to clean all sizes. See the nasty mold I was talking about? Even that white color you see on the gourds is mold!

Step #1

Cover the gourds with a solution of hot water and bleach. Approximately 1/4 cup of bleach per gallon of water will do…I am very specific in my application, I add the amount of water I want then pour in the bleach till it smells good and bleachie! (If it is a sunny, hot summer day, you can tie your wet gourds inside a plastic bag along with wet towels and set in direct sunlight instead of using this soaking process.)

Step #2

While soaking cover the gourds with an “old” towel, making sure it is wet. If you are cleaning bigger gourds you will probably need to weigh them down so that as much of the gourd is under water as possible. I let the gourds soak for at least an hour then check them to see how soft the mold has become and how easily it will come off.

Step #3

When soaked long enough you should be able to just wipe some of the mold off.  The gourd will have to be scrubbed to remove all the mold. Use something like those green Scotch pads or a copper Choreboy…I don't use steel wool because particles of steel can actually imbed in the surface of the gourd and it, causing it to turn brown. I found the blue scrubber I am using at Wal-Mart in the broom aisle. It originally had a white handle and is more coarse that the Scotch pads.

Scrub off as much mold as you can. The gourd will have to be scrubbed to remove all the mold. Use something like those green Scotch pads or a copper Choreboy…I don't use steel wool because particles of steel can actually imbed in the surface of the gourd and it, causing it to turn brown. I found the blue scrubber I am using at Wal-Mart in the broom aisle. It originally had a white handle and is more coarse that the Scotch pads. Scrub off as much mold as you can.

Step #4

You may need to use a knife to scrap of stubborn areas. The soaking loosens the build up some, but some spots need a little extra attention. Gently scrap the surface with the edge of the knife's blade. Don't dig into the surface or you'll leave marks. Rinse the gourds after all the mold has been removed. I add a little bleach to my rinse water…you could say I'm a little paranoid when it comes to the mold!!

Step #5

Now, they are ready to lay out to dry. Make sure gourds are completely dry before using. They can be put in the oven on low to speed up the process. Be sure and keep an eye on them, gourds do burn.  Voila, the gourds are pretty, clean… and now the real fun can begin.

Thanks to Judy of Holly Ridge Creations for sharing her tutorial here on Prim Mart! Her shop features: Primitive and Folk Art Santas, Snowmen, Americana, Gingers, One of a Kind Creations and much more. Some of her creations include hand painted gourds like the one above.