A textured ceramic object holds more than its shape. The variation in its surface — uneven in the best way, alive to the touch — is part of what makes it worth having. Caring for it gently means that quality stays intact. These notes are meant as a practical guide: not precious, but considered.
Understanding What Textured Surfaces Actually Are
Textured ceramics are distinguished by their surfaces — ridges, dimples, raw patches, or deliberate roughness that interrupts a uniform glaze. These variations are not flaws. They are the result of how the object was made and finished. But they do mean that the ceramic has more surface area, more places where water, oils, and residue can settle. Understanding this is the foundation of caring for these objects well.
Glazed and unglazed areas often appear on the same piece. Glazed sections are generally less porous and easier to clean. Unglazed or lightly finished areas — often found on the foot, rim, or decorative surface — are more absorbent and need a little more attention.
Daily Cleaning
For everyday use, warm water and a small amount of dish soap is all you need. Use a soft cloth or a gentle brush — a pastry brush or soft-bristled cleaning brush works well for getting into textured areas without scratching. Rinse thoroughly, making sure no soap collects in crevices or grooves.
Avoid abrasive sponges, steel wool, or anything with a rough scouring surface. Texture adds character, and it also means there are more places for scratches to catch and accumulate. Keep cleaning gentle and the object will stay looking as it should.
After washing, dry with a soft cloth rather than leaving the piece to air-dry in a pool of water. Prolonged moisture sitting against unglazed areas can, over time, cause minor staining or affect the surface.
Preventing Stains
Certain foods and liquids — coffee, red wine, turmeric, tomato-based sauces — can stain porous ceramic surfaces if left to sit. The prevention is simple: don't leave these sitting in or on a piece longer than needed, and rinse soon after use.
If a light stain does develop, a paste of baking soda and water, applied with a soft cloth and left for a few minutes before rinsing, can help lift it without damaging the surface. Avoid bleach or harsh chemical cleaners, which can compromise both the finish and the integrity of the clay body over time.
For pieces used regularly with food and liquid, occasional wiping with a small amount of food-safe oil on the unglazed areas can help create a mild barrier. This is particularly useful for items like a raw-clay water jug or an unglazed bowl base.
Dishwasher and Soaking
The dishwasher is not the right environment for most textured ceramics. The combination of high heat, strong detergent, and pressurised water can over time dull glazes, loosen the surface of porous areas, and cause fine cracking — called crazing — that is difficult to reverse. Wash by hand.
Soaking is similarly best avoided. Extended immersion in water can work into unglazed areas in ways that lead to small surface changes or faint odours over time. A quick wash is always preferable to leaving a piece submerged.
Storage
When stacking textured ceramics, place a soft cloth, piece of felt, or folded paper between pieces to prevent surfaces from scratching each other. A textured exterior rubbing against another ceramic surface is one of the more common causes of small abrasions that build up over time.
Store in a dry place. Ceramics kept in persistently damp environments — an open shelf near a sink, or a poorly ventilated cupboard — can absorb ambient moisture into porous areas. This is rarely dramatic, but over years it can subtly affect the surface and, if the piece is used for food or drink, introduce unwanted residue.
A Note on Ageing
Textured ceramics are meant to be used. Small marks that accumulate through genuine use — a faint patina on a much-used mug, a slight softening of a raw edge — are not damage. They are the record of an object's life in a home. The care outlined here is not about keeping something pristine. It is about keeping it well, so that it remains useful and beautiful for a long time.
Treat these objects with the same consideration you would give anything made carefully, and they will continue to be worth having.