Need ripe gourdes for luffa creation

Q:  I grew some luffa gourds this year. How do I make them into luffa sponges?

A:    Harvest the fully ripe gourds and wipe them with a 1 to 10 bleach to water solution. Dry the gourds for a few days in a well-ventilated place. Then peel off the the outer skin and shake out the seeds. Let the sponge finish drying and then the process is complete.

Q:.   Now that the birdhouse gourds I planted are getting big, when do I harvest them? Do I treat them with anything?

A:    The simplest thing to do is to let them dry naturally. Leave them on the vine until it dies and then pick the gourds. The gourd is read to use if the seeds rattle inside it.. You can paint the gourd or apply a coat of varnish on it to make it last longer.