Should we tolerate tea stains in order to cultivate colorful Jianzhan glaze?
If Jianzhan is not cleaned properly over time, a layer of tea stains will form inside the Jianzhan, but that is not the "colorful treasure light" cultivated by nurturing the Jianzhan.
If tea is not finished and is left in the Jianzhan for a long time, or if the used Jianzhan is not cleaned in time and left unused, the tea polyphenols in the tea leaves and the metal elements in the tea rust will undergo an oxidation reaction, resulting in the formation of tea stains that adhere to the inner wall of the Jianzhan.
One．Should tea stains be cleaned?
- Affecting aesthetics:
Tea can indeed nurture Jianzhan, but it does not mean that the Jianzhan should be in contact with tea soup all the time. Not only will the colorful luster not be cultivated, but it may also cause rust to form on the Jianzhan.
Jianzhan's body is made of iron, and the glaze is an iron crystal glaze, especially for oil drop pattern Jianzhan! (Many oil drop Jianzhan on the market do not have a vitrified layer to isolate oxygen and water vapor, while most hare's fur pattern Jianzhan have a vitrified layer to isolate oxygen and water vapor.)
Since iron is easily oxidized into brownish iron oxide in the air, if it is soaked in tea soup or not dried after use, it will be gradually oxidized by water vapor into Fe3O4, which is reddish-brown and looks like rust, and it will greatly affect the aesthetics.
Tea stains on Yixing clay teapots.
- Affecting health:
From a safety and health perspective, not cleaning Jianzhan is not conducive to physical health because not cleaning tea stains for a long time may lead to the growth of mold.
- Affecting the efficacy of Jianzhan itself:
The Jianzhan body contains a large number of small pores, which can help maintain the temperature of the tea soup. The degree of water quality improvement depends on the coverage of the pores. The pores inside the body can adsorb calcium and magnesium particles, reducing water hardness and making it soft and mellow. Moreover, Jianzhan has a good effect of keeping the tea soup fresh and can prevent it from spoiling. If the Jianzhan is not kept clean and is covered with tea stains, it will block the pores, affecting the Jianzhan's insulation, water quality improvement, and preservation functions.
- How to clean Jianzhan?
- Daily cleaning: After drinking the last cup of tea of the day, rinse the Jianzhan with hot water to remove a small amount of tea stains attached to the glaze surface. Then rinse it again with normal water and finally place the Jianzhan in a ventilated area or use a specially prepared cleaning cloth to dry it.
- Deep cleaning: Generally, a comprehensive cleaning is needed every three to five days. At this time, toothpaste or dishwashing liquid can be used for cleaning, and then wiped dry with a cleaning cloth or left to air dry naturally. Remember: daily cleaning and regular cleaning are equally important for Jianzhan.
Keeping Jianzhan clean and hygienic at all times is like keeping ourselves clean and refreshed. We nurture Jianzhan, and Jianzhan nurtures us.
Don't be too hasty in nurturing Jianzhan, and don't force the legendary colorful luster. Leave it to time and fate.
