As you embark on your journey of exploring the world of Chinese tea, you will undoubtedly come across the renowned Yixing teapots. These teapots are a testament to the mastery of traditional Chinese craftsmanship. They're loved for their beautiful appearance, excellent heat retention, and aroma enhancing capability.
However, to maintain the quality your Yixing teapot, and allow it to develop a glossy patina, it is important to take proper care of it. In this blog post, we will discuss in detail on how to take care of your Yixing teapot.
If you don't own a Yixing teapot yet, or want to add another to your collection, feel free to browse our Yixing teapot collection.
1. Rinse Yixing teapots before use
Before you start your tea session, it's recommended to rinse the inside and outside of the teapot with hot water. This can help disinfect the teapot and preheat the teapot for an optimal infusion.
2. Wipe the teapot dry while it is still hot
Most tea drinkers simply rinse Yixing teapots after use and let it dry in the air. While this is sufficient to keep your teapot clean, we recommend to rinse the teapot with hot water and wipe it dry with a fine cotton cloth. When the teapot is hot, the pores are expanded and the water will come to the surface of the teapot, instead of staying inside of it. This is why the best time to wipe your teapot is while it's still hot. Moreover, while you wipe your teapot, you're actually also polishing it. As a result, your teapot will become more glossy and lustrous over time.
3. Don't submerse the teapot in the water when making tea.
Some people like to place a the teapot in a bowl/plate with hot water to achieve better heat preservation. While this is true, we do not recommend this for Yixing teapots. This has no positive affect on the Yixing teapot, and the colour will develop unevenly over time.
4. After brewing tea, empty the teapot
After each brewing session, you should discard the tea leaves, and use hot water to rinse away the remaining tea leaves in the teapot. In this way you keep your Yixing teapot clean both inside and outside.
5. Keep the teapot dry
You should keep the teapot dry and away from moisture after using, so that the zisha teapot can produce a natural luster.
6. Open the lid of the teapot in order to let it dry out completely
After you've rinsed, cleaned and wiped your teapot, the lid and the teapot should be placed separately in a ventilated place where it can easily dry out, and then store it properly after it is completely dried out.
7. Avoid placing the teapot in dusty places
When storing the teapot, avoid placing it in a place with too much grease, smoke and dust, so as not to affect the surface of the teapot.
8. Avoid cleaning the teapot with chemical detergent
Never use chemical detergent to wash the teapot, otherwise it would wash away the tea aroma absorbed within the teapot. Your teapot may absorb the fragrance of the detergent, and it may loose its glossy appearance.
By following the above steps correctly, you can ensure that your Yixing teapot remains in top-notch condition. With proper care and storage, a Yixing teapot can become an invaluable tea brewing vessel, allowing you to tea enjoy tea for decades to come.
