Saving a Natural Gourd from Mould

Think there's mould in your natural gourd? Don't throw it away immediately! With a little effort, you can simply use the gourd again.

First, it is important to be sure that it is mould. It is quite normal for black/green spots to appear in the gourd, left behind by the yerba. You cannot really remove these stains, but they are not bad at all.

The difference with mould is that mould is usually white, fluffy and easy to scrape away. You can see the difference in these photos

Not mould

Mould

Even if it does have mould, the gourd is still salvageable. Here is what you can do to remove the mould:

1. Fill the gourd completely with boiling water.
2. Let the water sit in the gourd for about 20 minutes
3. Pour out the water, and thoroughly scrape the entire surface of the gourd with a spoon so that all the mould is completely gone.  
4. Fill the gourd with hot water again, and leave for another 20-30 minutes.  
5. Dry the gourd well, for example with kitchen paper, and leave it to dry in a well-ventilated place for at least 2 days.
6. When the gourd is completely dry, you can simply use it again. Make sure you store the gourd dry every time after use, to keep it clean in the future.