DIY drift wood

[easilyconfused]

I've done some research on gathering up wood and what to do and I remember reading somewhere that you want to use hard woods but I can't find it anywhere. And when you scrub it with a brush to remove all the soft areas, how soft is soft because most of the wood I've seen from water is still soft....should a guy be using a wire brush instead of a plastic one even though he's scraping with the handle before the brush?

[msjinkzd]

I cut off all parts I could sink my fingernails into easily or that felt spongey. I used a wire brush and a razor knife.