How to Care for Handmade Ceramics

Handmade ceramics are made to be used, not saved for special occasions. A good mug should hold your morning chai every single day. Still, a piece that is thrown, glazed and fired by hand deserves a little care, and a few small habits will keep the colours bright and the glaze smooth for years. Here is everything you need to know, in plain language.

Are handmade ceramics dishwasher and microwave safe?

At Crafted Ceramix, yes. Our glazes are food-safe, lead-free and cadmium-free, and our everyday pieces are both microwave-safe and dishwasher-safe. So you can reheat your coffee or run a full load without worry.

That said, hand-washing is still the gentlest option, and it is the single best thing you can do to make a handmade piece last. The dishwasher is fine for busy days. Hand-washing is what keeps a piece looking new after five years.

How should I wash handmade ceramic mugs and bowls?

• Use warm water, a soft sponge and a mild dishwashing liquid.
• Skip steel wool and harsh scouring pads. They can dull the glaze over time.
• For stubborn tea or coffee stains, make a paste of baking soda and water, rub gently, and rinse. It lifts stains without scratching.
• Dry with a soft cloth, or let pieces air-dry on a rack before stacking.

Can I put handmade ceramics in the microwave and oven?

Our pieces are microwave-safe for reheating and warming. A few sensible rules apply to any ceramic, handmade or not:

• Avoid sudden temperature swings. Do not take a mug straight from the fridge and put it into a hot microwave, and do not pour boiling water into a cold piece. Let it come closer to room temperature first. Ceramic dislikes thermal shock more than it dislikes heat.
• Do not use handmade pieces on a direct flame, stovetop or open grill.
• Unless a piece is specifically described as oven-safe, treat it as serveware rather than bakeware.

How do I store handmade plates and mugs without chipping them?

The rim and the foot are where chips usually start. To protect them:

• Place a soft cloth, felt pad or paper napkin between stacked plates and bowls.
• Hang mugs on a rack or set them down side by side rather than stacking heavy ones inside each other.
• Give handmade pieces a little breathing room in the cupboard. They are strong, but they are happiest when they are not knocking against each other.

Why does my handmade piece look slightly different from the photo?

Small variations in colour, glaze pooling and tiny surface marks are normal, and they are the whole point. Each piece is shaped and painted by hand in our Pune studio, so no two are identical. Those little differences are the signature of a real handmade object, not a flaw.

A quick everyday-care checklist

• Hand-wash when you can, dishwasher when you are busy.
• Soft sponge only, never steel wool.
• Let cold pieces warm up before heating.
• No stovetop or open flame.
• Cushion and space out pieces in storage.

Look after them this way and your ceramics will age beautifully, gathering the kind of character that only comes from being used and loved.

Ready to add a piece or two to your table? Explore our handmade mugs and cups, serveware and new arrivals. Have a question about a specific piece? Write to us at craftedceramix@gmail.com or see our FAQs.