Taking Care Of Your Pottery

With the right care, your clay pot will last a lifetime.  It's no accident that archaeologists find fragments and whole pots that are hundreds of years old - in fact in some cases they are thousands of years old. Porcelain, stoneware and bone china are generally fired at very high temperatures (well above 1200 degrees centigrade) and therefore generally vitrified. It is therefore extremely strong and durable.  Earthenware and Raku Ware are fired at lower temperatures (around 1100 degrees centigrade) and are not quite as strong, but they are a little more forgiving with sudden movement from hot to cold.

Most pottery can be used in the oven and the dishwasher, there is however one thing that it does not like - apart from being bounced on the floor of course - and that's immediate movement from very cold to very hot or visa versa.  Potters call that "Thermal Shock".

All pottery can handle high temperatures in ovens and dishwashers, but it is not  “freezer to flame proof"  so you should not move pots directly out of the refrigerator into a hot oven or visa versa.  Instead put them into a lukewarm oven and heat them up slowly to the temperature you need.  After using pots in high temperatures, allow them to cool down before putting them back into the refrigerator.

If in any doubt at all then we suggest you hand wash your precious pieces in warm soapy water and then rinse in clean, warm water before drying carefully. We recommend that in the description area on specific items on this website, where we think hand care is more appropriate.

If your pottery has gold leaf or other metallic decoration on it such as an oxidised iron rim or copper reduction, please do not put it in the microwave. Metal causes the Microwave oven to arc, it is dangerous and will damage your plate or pot - not to mention your microwave. We specifically mention this on the description of individual items which are affected.