There are several different ways to clean gourds, none of which are easy. But the key to successful cleaning starts with a good "soaking". 

The easiest way to soak a gourd is to put it out in the rain for 20 or 30 minutes. However, it doesn't always rain just when you need to do some cleaning. Other options are to put your gourds under a lawn sprinkler or into some container where they can be immersed. I use a clean garbage can and hold them under water by placing a 12" x 12" plastic container (like the old milk bottle cases) on top, and holding them down with a 12-pound weight. Any heavy object will do. 

Depending on the size of the gourds, you can soak from one to several at the same time. When you take one out to clean it put another in. Try to remember which ones have been in the longest.

As to the cleaning, most gourds are cleaned by using a scouring pad and scrubbing while they are still wet from the soaking. Any scouring pad will do, but a copper one with a little wooden handle makes the job a little easier. Use a second garbage can, tub or other suitable container for the cleaning process. Adding a little household detergent to the water will help some. 

If you have access to a power washer of 1000 PSI or more, you can remove all the loose dirt and outer skin with it. I anchor the spray gun and hold the gourd in front of the nozzle. You still may have to do a little scrubbing to get it completely clean. Again, soaking prior to washing is the key. You'll get a good "soaking" too, with this method. 

A third method of cleaning is to use a "fine wire brush" wheel on a bench grinder or drill press. This will clean the gourd completely, however, there are cautions. Always wear eye goggles or a face shield to protect from wire that will fly off the wheel during use. Also, the wire can easily damage soft or thin shell gourds. A thick shell gourd will not be damaged if you use a light touch and the side of the wheel rather than the front. Practice will teach you how best to do it. 

Question: This is our first year of planting gourds.  My grandson made an arbor for 
the gourds to hang on.  However, we live in NW GA. near the Ala. line.  The rain has
been awful this year.  Our question is will the rain effect the gourds?  At this 
time the vines are just beginning to grow and are climbing and look very 
healthy.  We just wonder if this is too much water?  Thank you for your reply.

Answer: A lot of rain early in the year should not be detrimental to your gourds 
unless diseases begin to spread.  With their big leaves and thick vines, gourds 
are subject to a lot of different diseases.  Once a vine becomes diseased, it is 
difficult to cure.  

Being from NW Georgia, this may not become a problem.  If you were from south 
GA or Florida, it would be more likely to happen.  However, it wouldn't hurt 
to apply a good fungicide as a preventive.  Check with your local county 
extension agent of garden supply store for their recommendation of what to use.

Question: I have obtained your name from the website for the Alabama Gourd Show.  
I hope you will not mind answering a question that is important to me.

 My mother lives in a retirement home.  However, she thinks gourds are cool
 and is trying to grow some in the small garden spot behind her apartment.  I
 obtained some seed last fall from a vendor at a local festival.  I don't
 know what type of gourds they are. She planted the seeds about the first of
 May, 2003. The vines seem to be doing fine and are climbing all over the
 place.  There are lots of white blooms that open in the late afternoon and
 mature overnight.  After a bloom matures and forms a small green gourd about
 the size of one's thumb, however, the small gourd soon turns brown, rots,
 and falls off.  At the moment, it doesn't look like we're going to raise a
 single gourd!  Can you tell me what the problem might be and what action we
 might take?
 
 Answer: Perhaps you are aware that gourds produce both male and female blossoms.
The female blossom is on the end of the little gourd, which you have seen and 
seems to be rotting.  The purpose of the male blossoms is to produce pollen 
only, so all the males will die shortly after blooming.

In order for the little gourd to grow and mature, it must receive pollen from 
a male blossom.  That is supposed to be the job of bees and other small 
flying insects that gather pollen.  However, since most hard-shell gourds are 
night bloomers (begin to open in late afternoon and close up shortly after sunup) 
pollination may not occur.  In that case, the little gourd will turn brown and 
fall off the vine in a few days.  This is especially true if any insecticides 
have been applied to control other insects that will damage the gourdvines.

There is something you can do about it.  Go out to your mothers gourd patch 
in late afternoon, collect some male blossoms and peal the petals and cup from 
around the stamen.  You will see it covered with pollen.  Now go to a female 
blossom and peal the petals and cup from around the pistil.  Be as careful as 
you can so as not to damage the little gourd.  Now rub the male blossom over 
the female.  Use two or three males per female to insure good pollination and 
you should see the little gourds begin to grow and mature.