Can clay pots be washed in the dishwasher?

It is believed that clay pots are far from the most common utensils, but, nevertheless, any housewife has a couple of such ceramic products in her closet. Some people don’t use them at all, while others simply enjoy food cooked in clay pots according to traditional recipes. This is exactly what fans of this dishware ask: is it possible to wash clay pots in the dishwasher? We will definitely answer it within the framework of this story, not forgetting to mention how to care for such dishes so that they last a long time.

Variety of pots

If you think that a clay pot is a clay pot in Africa, you are very mistaken. 1000 years ago, in different parts of the world, clay pots were almost the same in structure, only the shape was different. Today technology has come a long way. The clay is fired in a special way, various impurities are added to it, and the products themselves are covered with a thick layer of ceramic glaze.

Pots with a special coating are not like their “traditional counterparts”. They will withstand the dishwasher test and nothing will happen to them. Other ceramics can also withstand the machine test, but not all. If you are interested in details, read the publication on the topic Can ceramics be washed in the dishwasher?, will be useful. Traditional clay pots, which, by the way, are gradually becoming fashionable, are in no way compatible with the dishwasher and here’s why:

• under the influence of hot water and steam mixed with detergents and coupled with vibration, the clay pot gradually collapses, becoming covered with cracks;
• clay absorbs detergents, which then cannot be washed, and during cooking the material will release chemicals into the food;

Just one wash in the dishwasher is enough to irreparably ruin the pots. After such “water procedures” they will be unsuitable for cooking.

• Traditional paintings, and indeed any decorations on pottery, degrade in the dishwasher and the item loses its appearance.

In general, in order not to spoil an ordinary clay pot, you need to wash it in a special way, not in the dishwasher. How? We will talk about this now.

Caring for uncoated cookware

Despite the fact that people have been using traditional pottery for several thousand years, from the point of view of a modern person it is too finicky. If used incorrectly and without care, it quickly becomes unusable and clay pots, of course, are no exception. What should you remember when using classic pottery?

1. Clay pots and other utensils do not like household chemicals, especially detergents. Even the most harmless dishwashing gel will be so absorbed into the clay that it will not be possible to wash it out.
2. If you put cold food in a clay pot and then put it in a very hot oven, the item may burst due to the extreme temperature change.
3. To remove burnt-on food from the inside of a clay pot, use a brush and hot water. It's okay to add a little baking soda, but never clean the pots with vinegar.
4. If vegetable juice has ingrained itself into the walls of the pot, or you previously cleaned it with some kind of chemical, then you can try to revive the product. Pour a full pot of salt and place it in the oven, which has not yet had time to warm up.Gradually, the salt will heat up and absorb contaminants. It takes about 1 hour to heat the pot of salt.
5. Do not store the clay pot until you are sure it is completely dry. Mold can form on damp clay walls. If this does happen, clean the pot with a brush, onto which you need to apply a paste of moistened baking soda. The mold will go away quickly.

So, it is better not to wash clay dishes in the dishwasher, especially if such dishes do not have a special protective coating. Traditional clay pots should only be washed by hand and require special attention on your part. If a clay pot is used and stored correctly, it will always reward you with delicious food, but if you wash it together with other dishes in a washing machine, it will quickly deteriorate. Wash the dishes correctly!

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