Yixing teapot - Green w/ nature pictures

Yixing Teapots are made from a specific clay called zisha (purple sand) found in the Yixing region of China. This type of clay is claimed to be more porous, which helps retain the flavor and aroma of the tea brewed in them. Each of the drawings are hand carved into the clay.

Caring for Your Clay Teapot

Cleaning a New Clay Teapot

Before using your new clay teapot make sure you clean it well before you use it. There could be small dust particles lodged in the body of the pot, which we don’t want in our tea.

1. Gently unwrap and rinse the teapot with warm water (no detergent). Pay close attention to both the lid and the body.
2. Find a big container large enough to submerge the teapot and lid side by side. If the lid is tied to the body of the pot, just keep the lid on.
3. Line the bottom of the container with a towel and fill it with hot or boiling water, make sure the teapot and lid are submerged (these steps ensure the small clay particles lodged in the pot can be rinsed out.
4. Let the teapot sit in the water for 12 hours then take out the teapot and the lid.
5. Repeat the process one more time with clean fresh water.
6. When done, rinse under the sink to make sure the inside of the pot does not feel sandy. If it's still sandy, repeat the steps again.
7. Lay it out to dry with the lid off or tilted. Once the pot is dried, it’s ready to use!

Cleaning After Use

Cleaning the teapot is easy if you follow one rule: No soap! Clay is porous and absorbs flavors and scents. After each use, you can clean your clay teapot by following these simple steps.

1. Remove used tea leaves with your fingers; use chopsticks or bamboo tweezers if the leaves are still hot.
2. Rinse the teapot and lid with warm water for a few seconds. Rub gently with your fingers to remove any stains. Pay attention to the spout area of the pot.
3. Allow the teapot to air dry on a towel with the lid off or tilted. That's it!