How To Care For Your Ceramics
Something I love about pottery is how it often blends art with function.
When designing my pots I’m mindful not only of the form and aesthetics, but of bringing a thoughtful functionality to encourage regular use.
I want them to add pleasure and comfort to your regular routines, rather than just sitting idle in your cupboard.
But this regular usage means care should be taken to help ensure you’ll be able to enjoy them for many, many years.
Also, handcrafted items usually are (or at least, should be IMO) expensive. But one of the best ways to be a conscious consumer is:
Buy better quality when you can and take care of your things, so you should have to buy less overall.
basics of ceramic care
KNOCKS & DROPS
While it may seem obvious, I think it’s still worth mentioning:
Ceramics are fragile - Dropping, bumping, clinking may cause breakage.
This is the most common reason I hear when folks tell the sorrowful stories of breaking their beloved ceramics.
My pots are intentionally created fairly thin - while they're not your grandmother's super fragile porcelain, they're definitely more delicate than a heavier style of pot.
Try not to drop them: Keep away from edges of tables or countertops where your pottery could be easily knocked over. Something I’ve found unexpectedly useful is how the carved texture on my drinking vessels gives extra grip, especially with the glossier glazes.
Use both hands: When lifting or carrying your pottery, use both hands to provide even support. This reduces the risk of accidentally dropping.
Beside the sink, not in it: After use, try not to put your pottery in the sink where other dirty dishes might get stacked and tossed on top. Keep them on the counter beside the sink instead until it’s time to wash.
Store carefully: When not in use, store your pottery in a safe place. I try to avoid stacking my cups and mugs as I’ve had one tumble off the shelf before (I’m not sure if it was an earthquake or just the dryer shaking the house).
DISHWASHERS
"Can my pottery go in the dishwasher?" It’s probably my most asked care question.
Because I use mid-fire stoneware clay, unless otherwise noted, all my pots are theoretically, dishwasher "safe."
However, hand-washing is usually always kinder to ceramics (unless maybe your kiddo is on dish duty?), so wash by hand whenever possible.
Why? Dishwashers are physically hard on pots -
the high power spray means that pottery can get jostled and banged around against other dishes, which may cause cracks and breakage.
the harsh detergents can etch away at the glazes over time, so again, if you stick to handwashing most of the time, you're pieces will last that much longer.
this is especially true for larger pieces (including teapots and platters) and pots with gold lustre. These pieces should ALWAYS be hand-washed.
Do I use the dishwasher?
For things I made (and could fairly easily replace), YES, as I know where I can get more. For the pottery I’ve bought from other potters? Nope, those get handwashed. BUT, even those do end up in the dishwasher from time to time and I try not to stress about it because at the end of the day, it’s just a mug.
MICROWAVES
Can I zap my pottery? For whatever reason, I imagine a microwave as shooting hot little laser beams at your food (and pottery).
This is another question I get a LOT. It's a tricky one to answer because:
A. I don't actually own a microwave, so I haven't been able to "test" how my glazes react over time to repeated microwaving (whereas, I do know what effect repeated dishwasher-ing has..), and
B. my internet research tells me all microwaves are different, so they might have variable effects.
When in doubt, I'd say skip the microwave…
HOWEVER, I do know plenty of people who microwave my pottery without having issues. So, I guess it's up to you.
With the exception of pots that have gold lustre details, I’m not using any materials that would be an obvious issue in the microwave, so the choice is yours - if you're in a rush, I don't think microwaving your mug once in a while is going to be a big deal.
If you've got the time, maybe pull out that cute little pot and do a quick heat on the stovetop rather than microwaving.
I also love leaving my hot beverages on top of wood stove, as it takes me forever to drink a hot beverage, and that keeps it from getting cold.
THERMAL SHOCK
Here’s a less commonly known risk to your ceramics.
Even though the pots will have gone in the kiln up to over 1200 degrees C, drastic and uneven changes in temperature can cause ceramics to break.
How can you prevent this?
Allow boiled water to cool slightly before pouring into a vessel. You can also keep a spoon in your mug when pouring in hot water, as the spoon will absorb some of the heat.
Never place a pot with food (such as a casserole dish) directly from the refrigerator into a preheated oven. Allow it to come to room temperature first.
Never place a hot ceramic dish (like one that just came out of the oven), directly into water for cleaning. Let it cool down before you wash it.
Never place a ceramic dish on a direct heat source such as an open flame or stove top element.
My hard lesson:
I accidentally turned on the wrong stove burner, and unfortunately the first casserole dish I ever made was sitting atop it with some leftover apple crisp.
The uneven heat caused the bottom to crack.
Now it's a planter.
