There are many teapot enthusiasts, but not all of them know how to protect their purple clay teapots. The maintenance of a purple clay teapot is particularly important, as it serves not only as a collectible but also has practical uses. Therefore, it's crucial to take good care of your purple clay teapot.
1. Fear of Dropping
Purple clay teapots are especially afraid of being dropped. For Ceramic products, once broken, they cannot be restored to their original state— even if repaired using techniques like copper riveting or kintsugi, the result will only be a kind of imperfect beauty. So how can you prevent dropping?
When pouring Tea, place another finger on the lid knob or lid, and avoid large movements. Keep the teapot in hand during the process of pouring tea, as many lids fall off during this time. Avoid imitating the tricks that teapot sellers perform, such as lids that don't fall off or lids standing upside down over the spout. These are deceptive gimmicks that could accidentally ruin your cherished teapot, resulting in a loss that outweighs any gain.
Place the teapot in high places or inside cabinets where children can't reach it, and do not let clumsy individuals handle it.
2. Fear of Oil
Those who enjoy playing with purple clay teapots know that after long-term use, a layer of reserved and understated luster forms on the surface, commonly referred to as “patina.” However, it's important to understand that the “patina” of a purple clay teapot differs greatly from what we typically understand as “greasy.”
A purple clay teapot with strong absorbency also fears oil and smoke, so it's even more important not to apply various oils to its surface to make it appear glossier—the shine of a purple clay teapot comes from proper care, not from applying oils.
If a purple clay teapot comes into contact with oil, it may develop an unnatural shine and easily become mottled. Neither the interior nor exterior of the teapot should come into contact with oil. Each time you prepare tea, wash your hands thoroughly to handle the tea, which not only keeps the tea free from unwanted odors but also allows the teapot to receive good care. During the process of Drinking Tea, it's necessary to fondle and play with the sand teapot with clean hands.
One more point: the area with the most oil in most households is the kitchen. Therefore, a key point to keep a purple clay teapot well-maintained and lustrous is to keep it away from the kitchen.
3. Fear of Odors
As previously mentioned, a purple clay teapot has strong absorbency. Besides absorbing oil, a purple clay teapot is also prone to absorbing odors. While strong absorbency benefits tea brewing and teapot maintenance, it's essential to avoid mixed or unpleasant odors. Therefore, a purple clay teapot should be kept away from areas with many odors, such as the kitchen and bathroom.
4. Fear of Detergents
We strongly recommend against using chemical detergents for Cleaning. Under no circumstances should dishwashing liquid or chemical detergents be used to scrub a purple clay teapot, as this will not only wash away the absorbed tea flavor but also strip the exterior of its luster. It should be absolutely avoided. If cleaning is necessary, we suggest using edible baking soda.
5. Fear of Polishing Cloths or Steel Wool
When a purple clay teapot becomes stained, do not clean it with polishing cloths containing diamond abrasive or steel wool, as these can quickly damage the surface structure and leave scratches that affect its appearance. The best tools are coarse cotton cloths and nylon brushes, and even when using these, excessive force should not be applied. Some decorative purple clay teapots have complex shapes, making patterns difficult to clean. A wavy-toothed toothbrush can be used for such cases.
6. Fear of Large Temperature Changes
When brewing tea, water temperatures between 80 and 100 degrees Celsius are generally used. Additionally, the firing temperature of a purple clay teapot is typically between 1050 and 1200 degrees Celsius. Therefore, under normal circumstances, a purple clay teapot has excellent heat resistance.
However, one thing to note is that if there is a sudden and significant change in temperature (a sudden drop or rise), some purple clay teapots may crack (especially thin-walled purple clay teapots). Therefore, when a purple clay teapot is not in use, it should not be refrigerated or placed in a microwave for disinfection; simply storing it at room temperature is sufficient.
7. Fear of Sunlight Exposure
While a purple clay teapot is often subjected to significant temperature changes during use, its porous structure usually means there is little impact. However, it's important to avoid exposing the teapot to direct sunlight, as this can affect the luster of the body.
After cleaning, there is no need to dry the teapot in the sun or use a dryer; simply placing it in a cool environment to air-dry is enough.