I've tried that before, using white vinegar (is Heinz's white vinegar
considered white enough?), the pot turned out clean, but it still has a hint
of vinegar about it. If you perfer that method of cleaning the pot, do go
ahead, but I prefer the old method of simmering the pot in clean water. It
may take a longer time, but the end result is worth the effort. Why don't
you try it for a change, especially if there's a long winter days to spare?

Of course the chemistry compound in garlic, turpentine and white vinegar (or
even between vinegars for that matter) are different, I'm illustrating a
point (weak though it may) that a sharp smelling agent when in contact with
a porous clay will leave its print within the porosity of the clay, and hard
to wash out, not conducting a chemistry practical here.

Samar.


"Alex Chaihorsky" > wrote in message
. ..
> Vinegar is very sharp smelling, its true. However "white" chemical, not
wine
> vinegar is very volatile and never leaves a residual smell.
> It washes from yixing very easily taking almost all of the smells (good or
> bad) with it. Comparing it with garlic or turpentine is simply wrong. If
you
> take a quick look at their chemistry you would know why. White vinegar is
a
> wonderful way to "renew" an yixing pot and you should try it some time. If
> you would have actually done that at least once, you wouldn't ever compare
> it to turpentine.
>
> Sasha.
>
> "samarkand" > wrote in message
> ...
> > :") Indeed. Vinegar has a strong smell, and as the yixing clay is
highly
> > porous, the vinegar will seep into the clay and it'll be hard to remove
> > the
> > smell and taste from the pot. It's a little like rubbing garlic on your
> > hands and then for the next several days your hands smell garlicky...a
> > couple of days someone showed me a yixing pot his friend gave to him.
It
> > was an old pot which I guessed was probably a burial piece. His friend
> > asked him to use turpentine to rub off the soil stains...that's another
> > pot
> > suicide...
> >
> > Danny
> >
> > "Alex Chaihorsky" > wrote in message
> > om...
> >> These are strong words, you have to explain your statement.
> >>
> >> Sasha.
> >>
> >> "samarkand" > wrote in message
> >> ...
> >> > Sasha, you have just given the recipe to pot suicide! :")
> >> >
> >>
> >>
> >
> >
>
>

Boy, if I only had a menghai cake for every time I tried to reeploy a yixing
pot!
Your method is not good with foul smelling pots where the smell is due to
some molds or bacteria. I guess boiling will kill the living thing but not
get rid of residue of smelly substance. Vinegar does that. just simmer it
later in water for a day or two. The hint of vinegar you smell is most
probably (if you did simmer it in clean water) a physycological one. Ask
someone from outside to smell it without telling them about vinegar. Heinz
should be white enough, although I use "icy" pure.

Sasha.

"samarkand" > wrote in message
...
> I've tried that before, using white vinegar (is Heinz's white vinegar
> considered white enough?), the pot turned out clean, but it still has a
> hint
> of vinegar about it. If you perfer that method of cleaning the pot, do go
> ahead, but I prefer the old method of simmering the pot in clean water.
> It
> may take a longer time, but the end result is worth the effort. Why don't
> you try it for a change, especially if there's a long winter days to
> spare?
>
> Of course the chemistry compound in garlic, turpentine and white vinegar
> (or
> even between vinegars for that matter) are different, I'm illustrating a
> point (weak though it may) that a sharp smelling agent when in contact
> with
> a porous clay will leave its print within the porosity of the clay, and
> hard
> to wash out, not conducting a chemistry practical here.
>
> Samar.
>
>
> "Alex Chaihorsky" > wrote in message
> . ..
>> Vinegar is very sharp smelling, its true. However "white" chemical, not
> wine
>> vinegar is very volatile and never leaves a residual smell.
>> It washes from yixing very easily taking almost all of the smells (good
>> or
>> bad) with it. Comparing it with garlic or turpentine is simply wrong. If
> you
>> take a quick look at their chemistry you would know why. White vinegar is
> a
>> wonderful way to "renew" an yixing pot and you should try it some time.
>> If
>> you would have actually done that at least once, you wouldn't ever
>> compare
>> it to turpentine.
>>
>> Sasha.
>>
>> "samarkand" > wrote in message
>> ...
>> > :") Indeed. Vinegar has a strong smell, and as the yixing clay is
> highly
>> > porous, the vinegar will seep into the clay and it'll be hard to remove
>> > the
>> > smell and taste from the pot. It's a little like rubbing garlic on your
>> > hands and then for the next several days your hands smell garlicky...a
>> > couple of days someone showed me a yixing pot his friend gave to him.
> It
>> > was an old pot which I guessed was probably a burial piece. His friend
>> > asked him to use turpentine to rub off the soil stains...that's another
>> > pot
>> > suicide...
>> >
>> > Danny
>> >
>> > "Alex Chaihorsky" > wrote in message
>> > om...
>> >> These are strong words, you have to explain your statement.
>> >>
>> >> Sasha.
>> >>
>> >> "samarkand" > wrote in message
>> >> ...
>> >> > Sasha, you have just given the recipe to pot suicide! :")
>> >> >
>> >>
>> >>
>> >
>> >
>>
>>
>
>

Icy pure? I must look up that one! No, it was my teacher who told me my
pot smelled of vinegar. Perhaps it's the pot's clay. I inherited an old
Duang ni (Yellow Clay) with sesame specks from my grandfather, and thought
of cleaning it up. I soaked the pot in white vinegar for about 2 hours and
then scrubbed it clean. Then I simmered it in clean water for 2 hours, and
in green tea for another 2 hours, and then in white tea for another 2 hours.
Couple of days later I brought my pot to class to brew white tea, and at the
first sip my teach commented it tasted "rough and sharp, like vinegar". Oh
well. Since then, I just simmer "soiled" pots in clean water for a couple
of hour, and then scrub out the mold and dirt before treating it with
various teas.


"Alex Chaihorsky" > wrote in message
...
> Boy, if I only had a menghai cake for every time I tried to reeploy a
yixing
> pot!
> Your method is not good with foul smelling pots where the smell is due to
> some molds or bacteria. I guess boiling will kill the living thing but not
> get rid of residue of smelly substance. Vinegar does that. just simmer it
> later in water for a day or two. The hint of vinegar you smell is most
> probably (if you did simmer it in clean water) a physycological one. Ask
> someone from outside to smell it without telling them about vinegar. Heinz
> should be white enough, although I use "icy" pure.
>
> Sasha.
>
> "samarkand" > wrote in message
> ...
> > I've tried that before, using white vinegar (is Heinz's white vinegar
> > considered white enough?), the pot turned out clean, but it still has a
> > hint
> > of vinegar about it. If you perfer that method of cleaning the pot, do
go
> > ahead, but I prefer the old method of simmering the pot in clean water.
> > It
> > may take a longer time, but the end result is worth the effort. Why
don't
> > you try it for a change, especially if there's a long winter days to
> > spare?
> >
> > Of course the chemistry compound in garlic, turpentine and white vinegar
> > (or
> > even between vinegars for that matter) are different, I'm illustrating a
> > point (weak though it may) that a sharp smelling agent when in contact
> > with
> > a porous clay will leave its print within the porosity of the clay, and
> > hard
> > to wash out, not conducting a chemistry practical here.
> >
> > Samar.
> >
> >
> > "Alex Chaihorsky" > wrote in message
> > . ..
> >> Vinegar is very sharp smelling, its true. However "white" chemical, not
> > wine
> >> vinegar is very volatile and never leaves a residual smell.
> >> It washes from yixing very easily taking almost all of the smells (good
> >> or
> >> bad) with it. Comparing it with garlic or turpentine is simply wrong.
If
> > you
> >> take a quick look at their chemistry you would know why. White vinegar
is
> > a
> >> wonderful way to "renew" an yixing pot and you should try it some time.
> >> If
> >> you would have actually done that at least once, you wouldn't ever
> >> compare
> >> it to turpentine.
> >>
> >> Sasha.
> >>
> >> "samarkand" > wrote in message
> >> ...
> >> > :") Indeed. Vinegar has a strong smell, and as the yixing clay is
> > highly
> >> > porous, the vinegar will seep into the clay and it'll be hard to
remove
> >> > the
> >> > smell and taste from the pot. It's a little like rubbing garlic on
your
> >> > hands and then for the next several days your hands smell
garlicky...a
> >> > couple of days someone showed me a yixing pot his friend gave to him.
> > It
> >> > was an old pot which I guessed was probably a burial piece. His
friend
> >> > asked him to use turpentine to rub off the soil stains...that's
another
> >> > pot
> >> > suicide...
> >> >
> >> > Danny
> >> >
> >> > "Alex Chaihorsky" > wrote in message
> >> > om...
> >> >> These are strong words, you have to explain your statement.
> >> >>
> >> >> Sasha.
> >> >>
> >> >> "samarkand" > wrote in message
> >> >> ...
> >> >> > Sasha, you have just given the recipe to pot suicide! :")
> >> >> >
> >> >>
> >> >>
> >> >
> >> >
> >>
> >>
> >
> >
>
>

Icy pure? I must look up that one! No, it was my teacher who told me my
pot smelled of vinegar. Perhaps it's the pot's clay. I inherited an old
Duang ni (Yellow Clay) with sesame specks from my grandfather, and thought
of cleaning it up. I soaked the pot in white vinegar for about 2 hours and
then scrubbed it clean. Then I simmered it in clean water for 2 hours, and
in green tea for another 2 hours, and then in white tea for another 2 hours.
Couple of days later I brought my pot to class to brew white tea, and at the
first sip my teach commented it tasted "rough and sharp, like vinegar". Oh
well. Since then, I just simmer "soiled" pots in clean water for a couple
of hour, and then scrub out the mold and dirt before treating it with
various teas.


"Alex Chaihorsky" > wrote in message
...
> Boy, if I only had a menghai cake for every time I tried to reeploy a
yixing
> pot!
> Your method is not good with foul smelling pots where the smell is due to
> some molds or bacteria. I guess boiling will kill the living thing but not
> get rid of residue of smelly substance. Vinegar does that. just simmer it
> later in water for a day or two. The hint of vinegar you smell is most
> probably (if you did simmer it in clean water) a physycological one. Ask
> someone from outside to smell it without telling them about vinegar. Heinz
> should be white enough, although I use "icy" pure.
>
> Sasha.
>
> "samarkand" > wrote in message
> ...
> > I've tried that before, using white vinegar (is Heinz's white vinegar
> > considered white enough?), the pot turned out clean, but it still has a
> > hint
> > of vinegar about it. If you perfer that method of cleaning the pot, do
go
> > ahead, but I prefer the old method of simmering the pot in clean water.
> > It
> > may take a longer time, but the end result is worth the effort. Why
don't
> > you try it for a change, especially if there's a long winter days to
> > spare?
> >
> > Of course the chemistry compound in garlic, turpentine and white vinegar
> > (or
> > even between vinegars for that matter) are different, I'm illustrating a
> > point (weak though it may) that a sharp smelling agent when in contact
> > with
> > a porous clay will leave its print within the porosity of the clay, and
> > hard
> > to wash out, not conducting a chemistry practical here.
> >
> > Samar.
> >
> >
> > "Alex Chaihorsky" > wrote in message
> > . ..
> >> Vinegar is very sharp smelling, its true. However "white" chemical, not
> > wine
> >> vinegar is very volatile and never leaves a residual smell.
> >> It washes from yixing very easily taking almost all of the smells (good
> >> or
> >> bad) with it. Comparing it with garlic or turpentine is simply wrong.
If
> > you
> >> take a quick look at their chemistry you would know why. White vinegar
is
> > a
> >> wonderful way to "renew" an yixing pot and you should try it some time.
> >> If
> >> you would have actually done that at least once, you wouldn't ever
> >> compare
> >> it to turpentine.
> >>
> >> Sasha.
> >>
> >> "samarkand" > wrote in message
> >> ...
> >> > :") Indeed. Vinegar has a strong smell, and as the yixing clay is
> > highly
> >> > porous, the vinegar will seep into the clay and it'll be hard to
remove
> >> > the
> >> > smell and taste from the pot. It's a little like rubbing garlic on
your
> >> > hands and then for the next several days your hands smell
garlicky...a
> >> > couple of days someone showed me a yixing pot his friend gave to him.
> > It
> >> > was an old pot which I guessed was probably a burial piece. His
friend
> >> > asked him to use turpentine to rub off the soil stains...that's
another
> >> > pot
> >> > suicide...
> >> >
> >> > Danny
> >> >
> >> > "Alex Chaihorsky" > wrote in message
> >> > om...
> >> >> These are strong words, you have to explain your statement.
> >> >>
> >> >> Sasha.
> >> >>
> >> >> "samarkand" > wrote in message
> >> >> ...
> >> >> > Sasha, you have just given the recipe to pot suicide! :")
> >> >> >
> >> >>
> >> >>
> >> >
> >> >
> >>
> >>
> >
> >
>
>

Alex Chaihorsky > wrote:
> Vinegar is very sharp smelling, its true. However "white" chemical, not wine
> vinegar is very volatile and never leaves a residual smell.

And if you were still worried, a quick rinse with baking soda and water will
solve the problem. But I echo Sasha's advice: white vinegar.

Rick.

Alex Chaihorsky > wrote:
> Vinegar is very sharp smelling, its true. However "white" chemical, not wine
> vinegar is very volatile and never leaves a residual smell.

And if you were still worried, a quick rinse with baking soda and water will
solve the problem. But I echo Sasha's advice: white vinegar.

Rick.

I think Alex means glacial acetic acid. This is close to 100% acetic
acid unlike white vinegar which is about 5% acetic acid.

Cameron

"samarkand" > wrote in message >...
> Icy pure? I must look up that one! No, it was my teacher who told me my
> pot smelled of vinegar. Perhaps it's the pot's clay. I inherited an old
> Duang ni (Yellow Clay) with sesame specks from my grandfather, and thought
> of cleaning it up. I soaked the pot in white vinegar for about 2 hours and
> then scrubbed it clean. Then I simmered it in clean water for 2 hours, and
> in green tea for another 2 hours, and then in white tea for another 2 hours.
> Couple of days later I brought my pot to class to brew white tea, and at the
> first sip my teach commented it tasted "rough and sharp, like vinegar". Oh
> well. Since then, I just simmer "soiled" pots in clean water for a couple
> of hour, and then scrub out the mold and dirt before treating it with
> various teas.
>
>
> "Alex Chaihorsky" > wrote in message
> ...
> > Boy, if I only had a menghai cake for every time I tried to reeploy a
> yixing
> > pot!
> > Your method is not good with foul smelling pots where the smell is due to
> > some molds or bacteria. I guess boiling will kill the living thing but not
> > get rid of residue of smelly substance. Vinegar does that. just simmer it
> > later in water for a day or two. The hint of vinegar you smell is most
> > probably (if you did simmer it in clean water) a physycological one. Ask
> > someone from outside to smell it without telling them about vinegar. Heinz
> > should be white enough, although I use "icy" pure.
> >
> > Sasha.
> >
> > "samarkand" > wrote in message
> > ...
> > > I've tried that before, using white vinegar (is Heinz's white vinegar
> > > considered white enough?), the pot turned out clean, but it still has a
> > > hint
> > > of vinegar about it. If you perfer that method of cleaning the pot, do
> go
> > > ahead, but I prefer the old method of simmering the pot in clean water.
> > > It
> > > may take a longer time, but the end result is worth the effort. Why
> don't
> > > you try it for a change, especially if there's a long winter days to
> > > spare?
> > >
> > > Of course the chemistry compound in garlic, turpentine and white vinegar
> > > (or
> > > even between vinegars for that matter) are different, I'm illustrating a
> > > point (weak though it may) that a sharp smelling agent when in contact
> > > with
> > > a porous clay will leave its print within the porosity of the clay, and
> > > hard
> > > to wash out, not conducting a chemistry practical here.
> > >
> > > Samar.
> > >
> > >
> > > "Alex Chaihorsky" > wrote in message
> > > . ..
> > >> Vinegar is very sharp smelling, its true. However "white" chemical, not
> wine
> > >> vinegar is very volatile and never leaves a residual smell.
> > >> It washes from yixing very easily taking almost all of the smells (good
> > >> or
> > >> bad) with it. Comparing it with garlic or turpentine is simply wrong.
> If
> you
> > >> take a quick look at their chemistry you would know why. White vinegar
> is
> a
> > >> wonderful way to "renew" an yixing pot and you should try it some time.
> > >> If
> > >> you would have actually done that at least once, you wouldn't ever
> > >> compare
> > >> it to turpentine.
> > >>
> > >> Sasha.
> > >>
> > >> "samarkand" > wrote in message
> > >> ...
> > >> > :") Indeed. Vinegar has a strong smell, and as the yixing clay is
> highly
> > >> > porous, the vinegar will seep into the clay and it'll be hard to
> remove
> > >> > the
> > >> > smell and taste from the pot. It's a little like rubbing garlic on
> your
> > >> > hands and then for the next several days your hands smell
> garlicky...a
> > >> > couple of days someone showed me a yixing pot his friend gave to him.
> It
> > >> > was an old pot which I guessed was probably a burial piece. His
> friend
> > >> > asked him to use turpentine to rub off the soil stains...that's
> another
> > >> > pot
> > >> > suicide...
> > >> >
> > >> > Danny
> > >> >
> > >> > "Alex Chaihorsky" > wrote in message
> > >> > om...
> > >> >> These are strong words, you have to explain your statement.
> > >> >>
> > >> >> Sasha.
> > >> >>
> > >> >> "samarkand" > wrote in message
> > >> >> ...
> > >> >> > Sasha, you have just given the recipe to pot suicide! :")
> > >> >> >
> > >> >>
> > >> >>
> > >> >
> > >> >
> > >>
> > >>
> > >
> > >
> >
> >

I think Alex means glacial acetic acid. This is close to 100% acetic
acid unlike white vinegar which is about 5% acetic acid.

Cameron

"samarkand" > wrote in message >...
> Icy pure? I must look up that one! No, it was my teacher who told me my
> pot smelled of vinegar. Perhaps it's the pot's clay. I inherited an old
> Duang ni (Yellow Clay) with sesame specks from my grandfather, and thought
> of cleaning it up. I soaked the pot in white vinegar for about 2 hours and
> then scrubbed it clean. Then I simmered it in clean water for 2 hours, and
> in green tea for another 2 hours, and then in white tea for another 2 hours.
> Couple of days later I brought my pot to class to brew white tea, and at the
> first sip my teach commented it tasted "rough and sharp, like vinegar". Oh
> well. Since then, I just simmer "soiled" pots in clean water for a couple
> of hour, and then scrub out the mold and dirt before treating it with
> various teas.
>
>
> "Alex Chaihorsky" > wrote in message
> ...
> > Boy, if I only had a menghai cake for every time I tried to reeploy a
> yixing
> > pot!
> > Your method is not good with foul smelling pots where the smell is due to
> > some molds or bacteria. I guess boiling will kill the living thing but not
> > get rid of residue of smelly substance. Vinegar does that. just simmer it
> > later in water for a day or two. The hint of vinegar you smell is most
> > probably (if you did simmer it in clean water) a physycological one. Ask
> > someone from outside to smell it without telling them about vinegar. Heinz
> > should be white enough, although I use "icy" pure.
> >
> > Sasha.
> >
> > "samarkand" > wrote in message
> > ...
> > > I've tried that before, using white vinegar (is Heinz's white vinegar
> > > considered white enough?), the pot turned out clean, but it still has a
> > > hint
> > > of vinegar about it. If you perfer that method of cleaning the pot, do
> go
> > > ahead, but I prefer the old method of simmering the pot in clean water.
> > > It
> > > may take a longer time, but the end result is worth the effort. Why
> don't
> > > you try it for a change, especially if there's a long winter days to
> > > spare?
> > >
> > > Of course the chemistry compound in garlic, turpentine and white vinegar
> > > (or
> > > even between vinegars for that matter) are different, I'm illustrating a
> > > point (weak though it may) that a sharp smelling agent when in contact
> > > with
> > > a porous clay will leave its print within the porosity of the clay, and
> > > hard
> > > to wash out, not conducting a chemistry practical here.
> > >
> > > Samar.
> > >
> > >
> > > "Alex Chaihorsky" > wrote in message
> > > . ..
> > >> Vinegar is very sharp smelling, its true. However "white" chemical, not
> wine
> > >> vinegar is very volatile and never leaves a residual smell.
> > >> It washes from yixing very easily taking almost all of the smells (good
> > >> or
> > >> bad) with it. Comparing it with garlic or turpentine is simply wrong.
> If
> you
> > >> take a quick look at their chemistry you would know why. White vinegar
> is
> a
> > >> wonderful way to "renew" an yixing pot and you should try it some time.
> > >> If
> > >> you would have actually done that at least once, you wouldn't ever
> > >> compare
> > >> it to turpentine.
> > >>
> > >> Sasha.
> > >>
> > >> "samarkand" > wrote in message
> > >> ...
> > >> > :") Indeed. Vinegar has a strong smell, and as the yixing clay is
> highly
> > >> > porous, the vinegar will seep into the clay and it'll be hard to
> remove
> > >> > the
> > >> > smell and taste from the pot. It's a little like rubbing garlic on
> your
> > >> > hands and then for the next several days your hands smell
> garlicky...a
> > >> > couple of days someone showed me a yixing pot his friend gave to him.
> It
> > >> > was an old pot which I guessed was probably a burial piece. His
> friend
> > >> > asked him to use turpentine to rub off the soil stains...that's
> another
> > >> > pot
> > >> > suicide...
> > >> >
> > >> > Danny
> > >> >
> > >> > "Alex Chaihorsky" > wrote in message
> > >> > om...
> > >> >> These are strong words, you have to explain your statement.
> > >> >>
> > >> >> Sasha.
> > >> >>
> > >> >> "samarkand" > wrote in message
> > >> >> ...
> > >> >> > Sasha, you have just given the recipe to pot suicide! :")
> > >> >> >
> > >> >>
> > >> >>
> > >> >
> > >> >
> > >>
> > >>
> > >
> > >
> >
> >

Cameron Lewis > wrote:
> I think Alex means glacial acetic acid. This is close to 100% acetic
> acid unlike white vinegar which is about 5% acetic acid.

Glacial acetic acid? That stuff's pretty strong. I wouldn't soak anything
I valued in it.

By the way, I once had a moldy "yixing" pot (because I accidentally left
wet leaves in it for a month) which I restored by scouring it with a scrubby,
boiling it for an hour or two, and rinsing it many times. Then I treated it
as if it were new (left new leaves in it for a while, etc.). Worked for my
dull palate.

Rick.

I id not mean using glacial concentrated vinegar, I just prefer making my
vinegar from glacial by diluting it, insted of using off-the shelf grocery
store variety. I would also dilute it another 10 times or so for this use.

Sasha.

"Rick Chappell" > wrote in message
...
> Cameron Lewis > wrote:
>> I think Alex means glacial acetic acid. This is close to 100% acetic
>> acid unlike white vinegar which is about 5% acetic acid.
>
> Glacial acetic acid? That stuff's pretty strong. I wouldn't soak
> anything
> I valued in it.
>
> By the way, I once had a moldy "yixing" pot (because I accidentally left
> wet leaves in it for a month) which I restored by scouring it with a
> scrubby,
> boiling it for an hour or two, and rinsing it many times. Then I treated
> it
> as if it were new (left new leaves in it for a while, etc.). Worked for
> my
> dull palate.
>
> Rick.