Originally Posted by Nancy in Louisiana
PLEASE - PLEASE - PLEASE Make sure you use a face mask and clean your gourds OUTSIDE. The inside of a dried gourd is VERY toxic -- a known carcinogen. I once took a class involving gourd painting - the instructor had done several books and had sold her things in several locations. She said that her sister, who used to help her clean out the gourds (sawing, drilling, cleaning out the inside) died from inhaling some of the dust. And be sure to clean the outside of the gourd with lots of bleach.
I had talk with a lady that sold gourds at a local festival last fall. She told me to wash the gourds with bleach and then sand them. After that I was to prime the gourds. My husband drilled the gourds for me. And it was outside, but nobody ever told me that the dust could be toxic. Actually, everything we did from washing to sanding to priming to painting to the top coat was outside. I don't plan on growing them again, but I sure do appreciate the info!