how do i clean 5 raku pots, unglazed inside, color outside

[oldlady]

it is sort of educational to find out what to do so i do not damage the pots.  they are just some test things that highwater clay featured in their Knowledge clinic workshops several years ago.   the public was invited to try raku painting on pots made by their staff.    very dirty by now, florida black, oily dirt.   (i call it airplane poop since the planes go over here a lot)

a damp rag is all i can think of, the whole pot is just the black with some decoration on the exteriors.  yes, they are yucky.

[Magnolia Mud Research]

Short snarly answer:  Verrrry Carefully.

 

Useful answer (maybe):  wash by hand with a cloth using detergent for hand dishwashing.  Or use the liquid hand soap.  For the oily areas you will likely need to use a soft sponge with several passes. 

Not all of the 'blackness' is due to the airplane exhaust; some is from the Raku treatment it self. 

Avoid scrubbing with a scouring pad until you are sure that the Raku decoration is permanently attached. 

Rinse and dry.  

LT

[hantremmer]

Why do you have to clean these pots extra carefully?  Does them being unglazed inside affect the fastness of the glaze outside?

[oldlady]

 darn, i was afraid of that.  i do not want to get them wet, no scrubbing.  damp cloth with Dawn was all i could think of.

 

yes, i know the black is what i wanted when i masked off the palm trees and stuff but the DIRT is the oily, hairy, cobwebby looks-like-a-horror-movie stuff stuck on top of the blackened clay.  i confess that i have never washed them since they were made.  the rest of the house is clean, though, does that count?

 

[oldlady]

doesn't matter anymore, i trashed all but the palm tree one.