1

Corn (Zea mays) Cob as a New Body Scrubber

Chrisar Exequiel Zachary M. Castaneda

Vince Denielle C. Calvelo

Samuel Ci S. Ramos

Submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements

in Research lll

Laguna Science National High School

Brgy. Maitim Bay, Laguna

March 9, 2018

Maria Leonora B. Villanueva

Research lll Teacher

 2

Corn (Zea mays) Cob as a New Body Scrubber

ABSTRACT

The objective of our study is to find an alternative use for the corn cob because it
is usually thrown away and not being use. We also would like to make things that are not
useful to be useful. We bought the corn cob first at Bay Public Market and brought it home.
We then removed all of the kernels by the use of hands and knife because if we would not
remove it the study will fail. We then cut it in half vertically for the sun could dry it easily
and putted it in a clean and safe location away from animals or children that may touched it
then we waited for one month for it to dry. It was successful and done right. It was better in
durability than the commercial body scrubber and almost as good as the loofah. Our
experiment is conducted with the use of corn cob as a replacement for other commercial
body scrubber. Our body scrubber was compared to commercial body scrubber and loofah,
and as result, the loofah is the strongest of them all but not bad for our body scrubber which
is the second of the three.
 3

INTRODUCTION

A corncob, also called cob of corn, is the central core of ear maize (Zea mays ssp.
mays). It is the part of an ear on which the kernels grow. The ear is also considered a “cob”
or “pole” “cob” or “pole corn” “cornstick” “sweet pole” “butter-pop” or “long maize” but it
is not fully a pole until the ear is shuded or removed from the plant material around the ear.
but it is not fully a pole until the ear is shaded or removed from the plant material around the
ear.The innermost part of the cob is white and made up of plastic and foam look alike..

People just eat corn and throw the corn cob after eating it, there are some that they
use their corn cobs: for adding flavors on their soup, wrap their tamales, cure what ails you,
or make your garden’s soil richer. Some body scrubber are also quite expensive. The quality
of the commercial body scrubber is not that good.

“Research dating as far back as 1994 has found that loofahs, those natural
scrubbers made from a tropical species of cucumber fiber, make the perfect breeding ground
for bacteria. The study published in the Journal of Clinical Microbiology found that loofahs
can transmit potentially pathogenic species of bacterial flora to the skin that under the right
circumstances may even cause an infection.

When you lather up to exfoliate by scrubbing away dead skin cells, they get caught
in the nooks and folds of the sponge. The humid, damp, and relatively undisturbed
environment of the shower allows the bacteria to multiply before your next rinse. The
bacteria feeds on the organic matter trapped in the loofah, and every time it does not dry
properly the bacterial colony ontinues to bloom. Sadly, applying antibacterial wash to the
loofah and rinsing it out after each use doesn't count for nada if you’re not regularly
disinfecting it.

Most dermatologists agree that using loofahs and shower sponges are not great for
the skin. Dermatologist Dr. Michele Green, M.D. told the Huffington Post that continuing to
use a contaminated loofah will only make things worse. “You spread the bacteria that you
washed off your body the last time,” Dr. Green confirms. “The loofah is spreading
yesterday’s dirt back on your body.” J. Mathhew Knight of the Knight Dermatology
Institute adds that mold and yeast (yep, like that kind of yeast) can also infect your plastic
 4

mesh sponge or natural loofah. Double yuck. If you wash too briskly, or knick yourself
shaving, you may be priming yourself for an infection.

It doesn’t matter if your body wash is lavender-scented or hydrates with aloe and
lemongrass, if you’ve been using the same sponge for months the results will be the same.
Let's face it — most of us flake on rotating our bath sponges.

To keep your showers clean, dermatologists recommend replacing your bath loofah
and mesh pouf every three weeks, especially if it turns a different color or develops an odor.
If for some reason you have become emotionally attached to your loofah, there are some
precautions that you can take to lower the risk of bacterial overgrowth, reports the Huffington
Post. To keep your damp sponge from festering in the mold palace that we call a bathtub, try
drying it outside of the shower, where there is good air circulation. To disinfect your bath
scrubber properly microwave natural loofahs and sponges for 20 seconds (but not the plastic
ones, alas), or soak them in a solution of five percent bleach (as they recommended in the
1994 study). Follow these steps, and you will finally get clean in the shower.However corn
cob is dangerous to some pets because a black Labrador had to have an emergency surgery at
vets because he swallows the corn cob according to its owner.

Body scrubs can mean one of three things: a spa treatment; an at-
home treatment; or the product you use to do the body scrub. Body scrubs are one of the
most under-appreciated spa treatments, especially if a Vichy shower is involved. When
else do you get to take a shower lying down? Though not as thorough, body scrubs are
easy to do yourself at home and have a number of benefits. It is like a facial for your
body, exfoliating your skin and keeping it smooth. It also stimulates your blood
circulation and feels great!

For us students we want to make a good use of a corn cob, by making a corn cob to
a commercial body scrubber for it is cheaper but same quality as the other body scrubs
Our study aimed to make a good use of a corn cob not just by throwing it, but to make a
body scrubber that has the same quality but cheaper than other body scrubber, and assure
that it can clean your body.
 5

The study was conducted on the month of January 2018 and lasted on the month of
February 2018 at Brgy. Masaya Bay, Laguna
 6

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A. Time and Place of the study

This study was conducted at Brgy. Masaya Bay, Laguna from January 2018 to February
2018

B. Collection of the Corn cobs

We bought the 8 corns at Bay Public Market and we will get the corn cobs out of it.

of it.

C. Preparation of the corn cob

We prepared the location first where we putted the corn cobs where it will get dry under
the sun. We also assured the location was safe from kids and animals that may cause
problems to our research and we cleaned a aluminum tray that we used to prevent dust from
touching our corn cobs.

D. Drying Process

We removed the kernels first by the use of hands and knife and also to clean the cobs.
After removing the kernels we cut the cobs in half and cutted it to the length of 5 inches each
cob. We then brought it to the designated location and let it dry. Some cobs were not dried
under the sun and we tried to dry it by the use of microwave oven with high temperature and
the length of 15 minutes.

E. Data to be gathered

Strength of the corn cobs compared to others that are to be observed like the commercial
body scrubber and loofah.
 7

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

Table 1. Strength of the Corn Cob

TREATMENT STRENGTH( NAPUNIT)

Body Scrubber 2 ½ Kilos Of Pebbles

Loofah 3 ½ Kilos Of Pebbles

Corn Cob 3 Kilos Of Pebbles

We tested three different body scrubbers the loofah the commercial body scrubber and the
corn cob. We then hooked to the end of each body scrubbers to test its durability. As shown
on the table the durability of the corn cob is better than the commercial body scrubber and
almost good as the loofah. Our corn cob was better because it is naturally harder and dried
under the heat of the sun that helped the corn cob to become harder. Also commercial body
scrubbers are thinner and not made well.
 8

CONCLUSION

Our experiment is conducted with the use of corn cob as a replacement for other
commercial body scrubber. Our body scrubber was compared to commercial body scrubber
and loofah, and as result, the loofah is the strongest of them all but not bad for our body
scrubber which is the second of the three.

RECOMMENDATION

For researcher out there we would like you to improve our research on applying some
designs, holder of the body scrubber to make it more presentable and more interesting to
buy.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

First of all we would like to thank God for giving us the capabilities of finishing our
research and for giving us a sunny day for our corn cob to be dried. We also would like to
thank our families for giving as motivation and for not letting us down, and for the farmers
that sell their corn to the market, also for the teacher that helps to finish this research
especially Mrs. Villanueva who guide us till the end.
 9

LITERATURE CITED

Body scrubs definition by Anitra Brown December 2017 Retrieved from

https://www.tripsavvy.com/body-scrubs-3090140 (Significance of the Study page 4)

Corn cob definition December 2007 Retrieved from www.en.wikipedia.orgwikiCorncob

(Introduction page 3)

Loofahs Have More Bacteria Than You Think — In Fact, You Should Probably Throw
Yours Out by Lily Feinn September 2016 Retrieved from
https://www.bustle.com/articles/185507-loofahs-have-more-bacteria-than-you-think-in-fact-
you-should-probably-throw-yours-out (Background of the Study,page 3)