Instructions

1. Allow the Romertopf clay pot to cool naturally. Do not immerse it in cold water or place it in the refrigerator when it is hot. Clay pottery is sensitive to temperature changes.

2. Remove all remaining food to other storage containers.

3. Place the room temperature Romertopf clay pot in the sink and fill the pot with water. Never use soap or the soap flavor will transfer into your next clay pot meal.

4. Use a Kliner pad to scrub the walls and bottoms of the pot to loosen any stuck food. The Kliner pad is recommended and sold by Romertopf. A natural loofah also can be used. A loofah is a fibrous part of the fruit of a plant from the Luffa genus. The loofah is traditionally used for scrubbing pots but it isn't abrasive and doesn't scratch like steel wool or leave metal bits in the porous surface of the clay.

5. Increase the water temperature in the pot by running hot water and letting it overflow into the sink until the water is too hot to touch with the hand. Use a loofah with a handle, allowing the heat of the water to help in removing extra stubborn food stains.

6. Use baking soda and water and scrub the pottery lightly if the pottery develops a bad odor.

7. Rinse the pottery with distilled water to prevent the buildup of minerals on the natural clay surface. Air dry the pottery until it is completely dry. Invert the lid and place a paper bag between the pot and the lid to prevent chipping.