How to Remove Water Stains From Pottery

Soak pottery in white vinegar to remove water stains.

Pottery is used in multiple variations, from dinnerware to flower pots and urns. The ceramic objects are formed from wet clay, sometimes on a potter's wheel, then hardened with baking methods. The clay's porous surface may allow water to seep in and create water stains that appear as hazy marks on the pottery. Washing with soap and water may not completely remove the water stains, which requires a substance to dissolve the hard mineral marks left by the water.

Things You'll Need

• Cloths
• Bucket or plastic container
• White vinegar
• 1 tsp. mild dish soap
• Dishrag

Instructions

1. Wipe dust from the pottery with a clean cloth. Place the pottery into a bucket or a plastic container taller than the pottery.

2. Fill the the bucket or container with white vinegar. If the water stains are on the outside of the pot, fill the area between the sides of the container and the pottery. If the water stains are on the inside of the pottery, fill the inside of the pottery also with the white vinegar. Allow the pottery to soak in the vinegar for one to two days.

3. Remove the pottery from the white vinegar. Rinse the vinegar from the pottery under warm running water.

4. Fill a sink with warm water and 1 tsp. mild dish soap. Wash the pottery with a dishrag in the soapy water to rid it of the vinegar smell. Rinse the soap suds from the pottery and dry it with a soft cloth.

References

• Just Art Pottery: Care and Cleaning of Art Pottery