What Does a Loofah on Your Car Mean? Brace Yourself For This Explanation

When someone sees a loofah, bathing and personal hygiene may come to mind. But if you see a loofah on a car? Well, the meaning isn’t exactly squeaky clean. In fact, it can be pretty downright dirty.

Keep reading to learn what a loofah on your car means.

There are a few possible reasons why some people, particularly elders, don these loofahs on their cars. They are typically mounted on the roof of a car or the rear window.

The most controversial potential meaning is that they represent a person who swings. According to Urban Dictionary, a swinger is “a person who engages in consensual sex with people or couples outside of their core relationship.”

For example, a married couple might swap partners with another married couple.

Or they may attend a swinger party and engage in sexual acts with several partners.

There have been many rumors that the residents of The Villages, a retirement community for 55+ adults in Central Florida, are using loofahs to represent their swinging style. For context, the Villages residents are called “Villagers” and The Villages has been dubbed “Florida’s Friendliest Hometown.”

The loofahs reportedly replaced the previous symbol of swinging, which was said to be an "upside-down pineapple."

Since these loofahs have been popping up in different colors, people began to wonder if the colors are code for something. One Redditor shared a ‘friendly” guide to dissecting what each color allegedly means.

“If you find yourself in The Villages you will no doubt see loofas attached to cars, this is a friendly guide so you don't make the same mistake I did,” their post read. White, for example, reportedly represents “novices and beginners” to swinging, while black reportedly represents a person who is open to a full partner swap.

One Redditor doesn't believe that there's anything sexual behind the Villagers using loofahs on their cars. In a comment on this post, they argued that a loofah on a car is simply to help the Villagers find their cars in busy parking lots.

“I have worked in The Villages for over 3 years, and this is a myth," wrote Redditor gatordent. "The reason for the loofas is simple, it’s so they can find THEIR car."

They continued: "All the retirees drive similar car and old gran can’t go around the whole parking lot looking for her car. So the loofa is an easy way for them to spot it from a distance.”

They went on to argue that these residents are physically incapable of being swingers. “Trust me, all the people I have met are definitely not swingers as most the can barely stand without assistance.”

There’s one more possible explanation for this unique car decor. Wiack, a car news media brand, posted an article on Medium speculating that it has deep-rooted cultural meaning for Hispanic and Latino communities. This largely includes those in San Antonio, Los Angeles, and Albuquerque.

They wrote that the tradition of adding them on top of lowrider cars began in the late ‘80s and early ‘90s. This reportedly had three possible meanings: you were sexually active and looking, you were ready to party, or you were proud of your culture and roots.

Can't get the swinger rumor out of your head? It might be time to have a tough conversation with Grandma.