How many years can a purple clay Teapot be used for? Does a purple clay teapot have a lifespan? There is no limit to the number of years you can use a purple clay teapot. As long as it doesn't get chipped or broken, if well-maintained, it can be used indefinitely.
What affects the lifespan of a purple clay teapot?
I. Dropping
Purple clay Teapots are particularly vulnerable to drops. Once ceramic products are damaged, they cannot be restored to their original state – even if repaired using techniques like Porcelain joining or kintsugi, only an imperfect beauty will remain. So how do you prevent dropping?
When pouring Tea, place another finger on the lid or knob, and avoid making large movements.
The teapot should not leave your hand during the process of pouring tea. Many times, lids fall off while pouring tea.
Avoid imitating the tricks teapot sellers play, such as the lid not falling off or standing the lid and spout upside down. These are deceptive gimmicks that could accidentally ruin your beloved teapot, which would be counterproductive.
Place the teapot in a high spot or cabinet where children cannot reach it, and do not let clumsy people handle it.
II. Oil
Those who enjoy playing with purple clay teapots know that after long-term use, a layer of subtle and restrained luster appears on the surface, commonly known as “patina.”
However, it's important to understand that the “patina” of a purple clay teapot is very different from what we usually think of as “greasy.”
Moreover, the strong absorbency of purple clay teapots makes them also afraid of grease and oil, so you shouldn't smear various oils on the surface of a purple clay teapot to make it look more lustrous.
The luster of a purple clay teapot comes from maintenance, not smearing.
If a purple clay teapot gets greasy, it will easily emit a “false shine,” and the pot may develop patches. Neither the inside nor the outside of the teapot should come into contact with grease.
Each time you engage in tea activities, wash your hands before handling the tea. This prevents the tea from being contaminated by odors and ensures good maintenance of the teapot.
During the process of Drinking Tea, it is essential to caress and play with the sand teapot with clean hands.
One more point: the area in most homes with the most grease is the kitchen. Therefore, one crucial aspect of keeping a purple clay teapot well-maintained is to keep it away from the kitchen.
III. Odor
The content above has mentioned that purple clay teapots have a strong absorbency; besides being easy to absorb oil, they are also easy to absorb odors.
Strong odor absorption is beneficial for brewing tea and maintaining the teapot, but you must avoid mixed or strange odors.
Therefore, purple clay teapots must be kept away from places with many odors, such as the kitchen and toilet.
IV. Cleansers
We strongly recommend against using chemical cleansers. Do not use dish soap or chemical cleansers to scrub purple clay teapots.
Not only will this wash away the absorbed tea flavor, but it can also remove the luster from the surface of the teapot, so it should be absolutely avoided.
If you must clean it, we suggest using edible baking soda.
V. Polishing Cloths or Steel Wool
When a purple clay teapot has stains, do not clean it with polishing cloths containing silicon carbide or steel wool, although these items clean quickly, they can easily damage the surface structure of the teapot and leave scratches that affect its appearance.
The best tools are coarse cotton cloth and nylon brushes, and even when using these tools, excessive force should not be applied.
Some shaped purple clay teapots have complex body shapes, and patterns are difficult to clean. You can use a wavy-toothed toothbrush for cleaning.
VI. Large Temperature Changes
When brewing tea, water between 80 to 100 degrees Celsius is generally used. Also, the firing temperature of purple clay teapots is generally between 1050 to 1200 degrees Celsius.
However, it is important to note that if there is a sudden large temperature change (sudden cold or heat), some purple clay teapots can crack (especially thin-bodied purple clay teapots).
Therefore, idle purple clay teapots that are not in use do not need to be refrigerated or disinfected at high temperatures in microwave ovens; they just need to be placed at room temperature.
VII. Sun Exposure
When using a purple clay teapot, it is usually in a state of significant temperature changes, but due to its relatively permeable structure, it generally won't have much impact.
However, one thing to note is to try to avoid exposing the teapot to direct sunlight, as it can affect the luster of the teapot's surface.
After cleaning the teapot, there is no need to dry it in the sun or dry it artificially. Just place it in a cool environment to air dry naturally.
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