Care Instructions for all Products
If you do not see your product listed below, make sure to check the product's page where we have specifications for each product's care. If the answer is not there, please reach out to us!
HI! Thank you for visiting our Care Instructions Page. We know artisanal products may require some special attention to be able to preserve their beauty, and, because of their artisanal nature, they do not include a "care instruction label". This is why we created this page that will hopefully answer all your questions, which include recommendations that artisans have shared with us concerning caring for your products. Do not hesitate to reach out to us if you have more questions, we would be glad to help however we can!
Embroidered clothing and textiles:
Our recommendation for all artisanal clothing is to hand wash with cold water, turned inside out and lay flat to dry without wringing. If necessary, iron on low with a protective cloth on top of the garment. If there is a need to machine wash, please do so on a garment bag on delicate settings and only air fluff on dryer machine.
Pro tip from artisans for Otomí embroidered products:
If, for some reason, there is some color run, boil some water on your stove top and, using tongs being careful not to burn yourself, submerge the piece entirely in it and move it around so that it looses the dye. We've tried it and it works!
Deshilado:
Hand wash with warm water, hang to dry or lay flat, do not wring. Optional: iron with starch to achieve a whiter, firmer look. Store in a dry, dark room, preferably in a protective layer such as bag or old cloth.
Woven Aluminum
Clean with a dry white cloth. Store in a dry place, avoiding humid spaces, sunlight, or extreme heat. Not dishwasher safe. DO NOT MICROWAVE!
Parota Tabletops:
Although resistant to everyday use, parota wood is not dishwasher/microwave safe. Clean with dam towel and, only if extremely necessary with mild cleaner and cold water, making sure it dries completely before storing.
Barro Rojo (Red Clay) Pottery
Although barro rojo is resistant to high temperatures and will perform if placed in a microwave, dishwasher, we recommend handwashing all of your barro rojo pieces to ensure the same texture remains for years. However, do let fully cool before washing.
Barro Rojo clay is made for open fire cooking, so feel free to use it with direct fire.
Some pieces of red clay are known to ‘sweat’ or ‘cry’ when in use, and the deep red baked clay lends a subtle earthen note to the food and liquid it holds. This means that some pieces may filter water (because no glaze or sealant was used). All barro rojo pieces are sold "uncured," which can cause this to happen even more frequently. Emerenciana, recommends cooking the piece with atole or a thick beverage and letting the piece cool before washing. Doing this several times will “cure” the piece as time and use is the best way to seal barro rojo pieces.
If unused/stored for long period of time, some barro rojo pieces may start to crack and show small white/black dots. This happens because the clay has lost humidity and is a completely natural process of the clay. We recommend soaking the piece in hot water overnight and letting it dry under the sun to bring it back to its original condition.
Barro Negro (Black Clay) Pottery
Barro Negro is baked at low temperatures and unglazed, which makes it prone to absorbing some odors. All barro negro from Lolo is sold straight from the oven, so there might be some remains of the charcoal/smoke in which it was baked. If you come across this problem, we recommend soaking the product in warm water overnight and giving it a good wash. If, for some reason, you perceive an odor from the oven in which it was baked, you can use milk instead of water and/or letting it sit fully covered in coffee overnight.
Barro Negro is not microwave or dishwasher safe. Always hand wash and let it fully dry before next use to prevent the high porosity to build any bacteria.
Hand Painted Clay (Xalitla, Capula, and other glazed/painted clay)
Although resistant to everyday use, clay products are not dishwasher/microwave safe. Clean with mild cleaner and cold to warm water and let air dry.
Molcajetes/Volcanic Stone
A molcajete is a traditional Mexican version of a mortar and pestle made from volcanic rock perfect for crushing and combining ingredients to make Mexican salsa. This prehispanic tool makes it excellent for kitchen elements such as pulverizing ingredients and grinding spices as necessary as possible, bringing out all flavors from ingredients, and control consistency of dishes. From its porous nature, it is almost impossible to clean thoroughly but, just like a cast iron, this will help transfer over ingredients to the next dish.
Before you use a new molcajete for the first time, it needs to be cured—i.e. scrubbed of excess debris and sediment from inside the mortar. Smooth out the inside by placing dry uncooked white rice inside the mortar and grinding it with the pestle. Press on the rice making circular motions as you move throughout the inside, including the sides, making your way up. Do this until the rice turns to a powder (rice will turn grey) and discard. Repeat this process until it no longer becomes discolored, approximately 3-4 times, then rinse with warm water. The molcajete is ready to use. Curing does take time and effort but you only have to cure it once and the result will be 100% worth it!
To clean, we suggest using only warm water and a kitchen brush dedicated only to this molcajete if you would like to prevent soap from entering the crevices of the stone and transferring over to your food. If, however, you feel uncomfortable not using soap, please use a mild one. Let air dry. MOLCAJETES ARE NOT DISHWASHER SAFE.
