What are Sea Sponges Used for?

I found this article on What are Sea Sponges used for? on WiseGeek.  If you are curious, then read on. If you have more information about this subject please share.

"Sea sponges are very simple animals that live on the ocean floor. They attach themselves permanently to an anchorage, and move sea water through their bodies, filtering out tiny organisms for food. The channels that the water flows through account for their hole-riddled structure, and is what makes their composition so useful.

They are harvested by divers; sponge-diving has been a family tradition in many areas around the Mediterranean Sea and off the coast of Florida in the U.S. They have been used as cleaning tools for thousands of years. Manufactured cellulose sponges have decreased the market for natural sea sponges, and for common household cleaning use, they are certainly sufficient and much cheaper. Still, there are some applications where you might want to spend the extra money to get the genuine article.

If you love your car, you might want a large natural sea sponge to wash it with. When wet, sea sponges are very soft, much softer than their artificial cousins, and much less likely to damage a finish.

Some women prefer the gentle texture of a sea sponge to apply makeup, and remove it. Artists have always used sea sponges, both in clean-up of their tools and as another way to apply paint to a surface. Home decorators are now often 'sponging' paint on walls to create a particular look, such as a faux marble or stone.

One of the most interesting recent (and more than likely ancient) applications of sea sponges is as natural tampons. Several lines of natural bodycare products now offer sea sponge tampons, which are nothing more than sea sponges of a particular size. The sea sponge is soaked in water, squeezed as dry as possible, and then inserted into the vagina, where it absorbs the menstrual flow. If it is uncomfortable, the user can simply trim away some of the sponge to get a more comfortable 'fit'. The sponge can be removed and rinsed and reinserted every few hours until the user's cycle has ceased. It can then be cleaned with vinegar, or peroxide and air dried before being stored for future use. When cleaned properly, a sea sponge used as a tampon can last six months or more, and is much more earth-friendly than disposable tampons. They also do not carry the risk of Toxic Shock Syndrome that regular tampons pose.

Sea sponges are a renewable resource; unless the oceans become too polluted for them to live, we can count on a steady supply>

Source: http://www.wisegeek.com/what-are-sea-sponges-used-for.htm

What is a Loofah?

The first time I saw a loofah was in a bath shop and it was used for using in the bath or shower to exfoliate your skin. Now it is popping up in melt and pour soaps and other products.  I wanted to learn more about loofahs and I found this explaination on "eek.com:

"Loofah is a climbing vine related to gourds and cucumbers, and sometimes called the “dishrag vine,” a reference to the sponge-like qualities of the dried fruit. Six species are in the Luffa genus, and they are widely cultivated for food and sponge uses. The loofah is the only plant source of sponge, and it has been used in bathhouses and kitchens for centuries. Traditionally cultivated in India and the Middle East, where the name originates, loofah is also grown in other warm, dry regions.

In appearance, a loofah looks like a cucumber. The attractive trailing vines of the plant will take over any available surface, yielding drooping green fruit in the summer. Loofah vines are often used to cover decaying fences or as privacy foliage, because they are dense and fast growing. Loofah prefers warm, dry climates, and is very sensitive to frost, generally not thriving outside of USDA Zone 10 unless gardeners sprout indoors and keep a close eye on their young loofah plants. The plants need to be watered regularly, but should not be allowed to become waterlogged.

Loofah is harvested for food in many parts of Asia. All species of loofah are edible, but they must be consumed before they mature, or they will be too woody and fibrous to eat. Loofah is cooked before eating, and is sometimes seen on menus as “Chinese okra.” When allowed to mature and dry on the vine, loofah can be harvested as a sponge. The woody exterior skin is peeled away, and the seeds shaken out for reseeding. The loofah sponge can be sold whole, or chopped into smaller and more manageable portions. Loofah can also be compressed for shipping. The net of straw colored fibers will puff up again if the loofah is moistened.

Like other sponges, loofah will collect bacteria if it is kept moist and warm, an environment common to bathrooms. For this reason, many people incorporating loofah into their beauty regimen prefer to use it as a dry exfoliating brush before bathing, or to grind it and use it in exfoliating scrubs. As a dry brush, loofah will gently remove the surface layer of dead skin, leaving the skin smooth and conditioned. Loofah can be used as a body sponge in the shower, but it should be allowed to dry out between uses. In the kitchen, loofah makes a great abrasive sponge for removing stubborn food particles from dishes and counter tops. Loofah is also gentle enough to use on delicate things like coated cookware which cannot withstand normal abrasives."

Source: http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-a-loofah.htm