Loofah washcloth with varied areas of coarseness and method

Abstract

A mitten-shaped washcloth with a very coarse usable surface and a generally rough usable surface and having an inside lining and reinforcing lining border around an outer perimeter made of fabric is made by cutting a cylindrical loofah piece off a gourd, shortening it, slicing it open lengthwise to remove the interior, flattening it into a sheet of loofah, shaping it, cutting open a cavity for the hand and sewing the border and lining on easily.

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to wash cloths for cleaning and washing the skin, and more particularly, to such washcloths that are made of loofah. [0002] Washcloths for scrubbing, cleaning and / or washing the skin are very well known. Due to the process of exfoliation, perspiration and other ordinary exposure of the human body to external events, the skin of a human being needs to be not just cleaned but also scrubbed of scaly matter. For this scrubbing process, coarse materials are needed. However, if the materials are too coarse, they can damage the person's skin. There may be different degrees of coarseness that are suitable for different people at different times. [0003] It is known to use loofah as a beneficial material in washcloths and sponges that are used to scrub, wash and clean the skin throughout the body. Existing loofah washcloths, however, have no convenient means of gripping. As a result, it is not easy to make full use of the washcloth and hence the portion of...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0004] Moreover, since washcloths made of loofah are superior for scrubbing and since scrubbing involves the application of a lot of force, it is particularly disadvantageous to be forced to change one's grip constantly when scrubbing with a loofah washcloth. It would be advantageous to have a loofah washcloth that can be gripped in a convenient manner that allows the user to make use of the full surface area of the washcloth. Furthermore it would be particularly useful to make full use of both sides of the washcloth without having to constantly change one's grip.

[0005] My previously filed application Ser. No. 09 / 962,491 for a Loofah Washcloth With Gripping Area, which has issued into U.S. Pat. No. 6,656,565 B2, solves the above problems by providing a loofah washcloth in which the full surface area of the washcloth can be gripped conveniently and used conveniently without having to change one's grip, which includes both sides of the washcloth as usable surfaces as well as other advantages. Applicant has found, however, that it is not that easy to manufacture a loofah washcloth in accordance with U.S. Pat. No. 6,656,565 B2. This is because the gripping area makes use of elongated openings traversing a portion of the breadth of the loofah sheet and being centered in a length and in a width of the sheet of loofah. In order to reinforce the parallel elongated openings a cloth lining border is provided. However, while a trimming machine can insert a cloth lining border around the outer edges of the loofah sheet, it is impossible for such a machine to insert the reinforcing cloth lining border around the elongated openings in the middle of the loofah sheet since access to the middle of the loofah sheet is not readily available. As a result, the reinforcing cloth lining around the elongated openings has to be put in by hand and this lengthens the manufacturing process and renders it more expensive.

[0008] A two-sided washcloth is made of a sheet of loofah that is lined on an outside perimeter with cloth. The washcloth is shaped as a mitten. One side of the mitten has a very coarse loofah and the other side has a generally rough loofah. By inserting one's hand in the mitten, the user has easy access to the full surface of each side, as desired permitting both sides of the sheet comprising the washcloth to be applied to the body conveniently, thereby assuring maximum use of the loofah and allowing a choice of textures. As explained below, the loofah washcloth is unadulterated and manufactured through a simple inexpensive process. IMPORTANT OBJECTS AND ADVANTAGES

[0011] (2) to provide a washcloth made of loofah in which the full surface area of the washcloth can be used conveniently;

[0012] (3) to provide a washcloth made of loofah that can be gripped conveniently and held in a manner that allows use of the full surface area of the washcloth without having to constantly change one's grip;

[0014] (5) to provide a loofah washcloth having the above features which is very simple to manufacture;

Problems solved by technology

As explained below, the loofah washcloth is unadulterated and manufactured through a simple inexpensive process.

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