Proven: How to Get Cooking Spray Out of Loofah (2026)

Immediate Action (first 5 minutes)

I'll be honest, when a reader first emailed me asking about this, I was completely baffled. Why on earth is there PAM on a bath pouf? Then I remembered the time my husband tried to scrub a burnt cast-iron skillet with my favorite Japanese bath loofah because he couldn't find a sponge. Cooking spray is mostly canola or soybean oil mixed with an anti-foaming agent and a propellant. It polymerizes incredibly fast. You have exactly five minutes before that sticky grease bonds permanently to the plastic mesh or natural fibers.

Grab a dry paper towel immediately. Blot the oily spot. Don't rub it. Rubbing just pushes the lipid molecules deeper into the tiny plastic crevices where they will harden and become nearly impossible to remove without harsh chemicals. Next, run the loofah under the hottest tap water you can stand for 60 seconds. I use my kitchen sink sprayer set to 120°F. This melts the surface oil. Squeeze it out forcefully three times to expel the greasy water.

What You'll Need (tools/products)

You can't just use regular body wash for this. Body wash contains heavy moisturizers and glycerin that will actually trap the cooking oil inside the mesh. You need heavy-duty degreasers designed to break down food-grade lipids. I've tested dozens of kitchen and laundry products on both synthetic and natural bath sponges over the last ten years. Here is my exact arsenal for this bizarre but frustrating mess.

• Dawn Platinum Powerwash Dish Spray ($5.98 at Target): This is non-negotiable. The enzymes in this specific formula break down polymerized vegetable oil better than anything else I've tried in my own bathroom.
• OxiClean Max Force Laundry Stain Remover ($8.47 for a 2-pack): Great for lingering yellow oil stains on white or light-colored mesh.
• Large Stockpot (at least 8 quarts): If you are treating a synthetic plastic pouf, you'll need this for the boiling method.
• Mesh Laundry Bag (12x16 inches): Keeps the loofah from getting tangled or melting against the direct metal sides of your pot.
• Rubber Gloves: Protect your skin from the hot water and concentrated degreasers.

Let's look at how natural and synthetic loofahs react differently to these cleaning agents.

Feature	Natural Egyptian Loofah	Synthetic Plastic Pouf
Material	Porous plant fibers	Nylon or plastic mesh
Oil Absorption	Extremely high (acts like a wick)	Moderate (traps in folds)
Heat Tolerance	Low (will turn to mush in boiling water)	High (can withstand 180°F)
Best Cleaner	Enzymatic spray & white vinegar	Boiling water & Dawn dish soap
Drying Time	12-24 hours	2-4 hours

Step-by-Step Removal (4-7 steps)

This process takes about 45 minutes from start to finish. I'll be honest, it takes some elbow grease, but it saves you from throwing away a perfectly good $12 shower accessory. Follow these steps exactly.

Step 1: The Dawn Powerwash Soak

Lay the loofah flat on a ceramic plate. Spray the entire surface with Dawn Platinum Powerwash. You want it completely saturated. Let it sit for exactly 15 minutes. The solvents need time to penetrate the polymerized canola oil. If you have a natural loofah, don't let it sit for more than 15 minutes or the fibers will start to degrade.

Step 2: The Hot Water Agitation

Fill a clean bathroom sink with 115°F water. Submerge the loofah. Now, you need to manually force the soapy water through the microscopic gaps in the netting. Squeeze and release the pouf rapidly for two full minutes. I count to 120 while doing this. You'll see the water turn cloudy and yellow. That's the emulsified cooking spray leaving the plastic.

Step 3: The Vinegar Rinse (For Natural Loofahs Only)

If you are cleaning a natural plant-based loofah, skip to Step 4. For synthetic poufs, this step is optional. However, if your natural loofah still feels slightly slick, mix one part white vinegar with three parts warm water in a spray bottle. Mist the loofah thoroughly. The mild acetic acid cuts through the remaining lecithin residue left behind by the cooking spray. Rinse with cool water immediately.

Step 4: The Baking Soda Paste (For Stubborn Yellow Stains)

Sometimes the oil is gone, but a yellow dye stain remains. This happens a lot with butter-flavored PAM. Mix two tablespoons of baking soda with one tablespoon of water to form a thick paste. Rub this directly into the stained mesh folds. Let it dry completely, which usually takes about 30 minutes. Once dry, the baking soda will have absorbed the leftover lipid pigments.

Step 5: The Final Squeeze and Dry

Rinse the loofah under cold running water for 60 seconds. Squeeze out every drop of moisture you possibly can. Shake it vigorously. Hang it in a well-ventilated area with direct sunlight if possible. UV light helps kill any bacteria that might have transferred from the kitchen pan to your bath sponge. Never leave it bunched up on the shower ledge.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

I've ruined three natural loofahs testing this process so you don't have to. Never use bleach on cooking oil stains. Bleach doesn't dissolve grease; it just sets the protein and lipid bonds, making the yellow stain permanent. Also, avoid using your washing machine's delicate cycle. The agitation isn't strong enough to push water through the dense plastic folds, and you'll just end up with a soapy, greasy mess inside your drum.

Alternative Methods (2-3 backup methods)

Sometimes the manual soak just doesn't cut it. If your toddler discovered the pantry and sprayed an entire can of Crisco onto your loofah collection, you need heavier machinery. Here are the backup methods I rely on when the sink method fails.

The Dishwasher Top Rack Method

This is my secret weapon for heavily saturated synthetic poufs. Place the loofah inside a 12x16 inch mesh laundry bag. Secure the drawstring tightly. Clip the bag to the top rack of your dishwasher using a plastic clothespin so it doesn't fall onto the heating element. Run a normal cycle with a heavy-duty detergent like Cascade Platinum ActionPacs. The high-temperature water jets (usually around 140°F) will blast the grease right out of the mesh. Do not use the heated dry setting, or the plastic will melt into a sad, warped lump.

The Washing Machine Hot Cycle

If you have multiple greasy loofahs, batch clean them in the washing machine. Put them in a zippered mesh bag. Add half a cup of OxiClean White Revive and your regular heavy-duty laundry detergent. Set the machine to the "Heavy Duty" cycle with an extra hot wash (130°F) and an extra rinse. I recommend doing this only if you plan to run a blank cleaning cycle with Affresh washing machine cleaner afterward. Otherwise, your next load of towels might smell faintly of roasted vegetables.

Citrus Solvent Soak

For those who prefer eco-friendly, plant-based cleaning, a citrus degreaser works wonders. I use De-Solv-it Pro Strength ($9.99 at Home Depot). Fill a bucket with warm water and add two ounces of the citrus solvent. Submerge the loofah for 20 minutes. The natural d-limonene extracted from orange peels is incredibly effective at dissolving sticky cooking spray residue. Rinse extremely well, as the strong orange scent can linger in your shower for days.

Prevention Tips

The best way to handle this stain is to never let it happen. Keep kitchen and bathroom tools strictly separated. I use color-coding in my house to prevent cross-contamination. Green sponges and scrubbers stay in the kitchen. Pink and blue loofahs stay in the shower.

If you have kids who track mud everywhere and also like to play "restaurant" with real ingredients, lock the pantry door. Store your cooking sprays on a high shelf, at least 5 feet off the ground. When hosting a dinner party, explicitly point out where the dish sponges are located. Guests will grab the nearest textured object to scrub a stubborn pan if they aren't paying attention. I learned this the hard way after a friend ruined my expensive exfoliating back strap with avocado oil spray.

FAQ

Can I just throw away the loofah and buy a new one?

You certainly can, and honestly, a standard synthetic pouf only costs about $4 to $8 at most drugstores. However, high-quality natural Egyptian loofahs or specialized Japanese silk washcloths can cost between $15 and $25. If you spent good money on a premium bath accessory, taking 45 minutes to degrease it is absolutely worth the effort.

Will the cooking spray ruin my skin if I use the loofah afterward?

If you don't remove the oil completely, the polymerized grease will trap dead skin cells and bacteria against your body. This can lead to severe back acne or folliculitis. Furthermore, the anti-foaming agents in the spray might cause contact dermatitis on sensitive skin. Make sure the loofah smells completely neutral before taking it back into the shower.

Why does my loofah still smell like French fries after washing?

Cooking sprays often contain artificial butter flavoring or roasted garlic extracts that bind tightly to plastic. To eliminate the lingering odor, soak the clean loofah in a mixture of cold water and two tablespoons of baking soda for an hour. The baking soda will absorb the trapped odor molecules without damaging the mesh structure.

Is it safe to boil a plastic shower pouf to remove grease?

I strongly advise against dropping a plastic pouf directly into a pot of rolling boiling water on the stove. The direct contact with the 212°F metal bottom will instantly melt the nylon netting. If you want to use heat, stick to the dishwasher method or use a sink filled with 140°F tap water, which is hot enough to melt the oil but safe for the plastic.