The Complete Guide to Caring for Handmade Ceramic Dishes

You've bought a handmade ceramic piece. Maybe it's a mug you'll use every morning, or a bowl that's going to become a staple at your dinner table. Now the question is: how do you keep it looking as good in five years as it does today?

The good news is that quality handmade stoneware ceramics are far more durable than most people expect. The less good news is that there are a few ways to inadvertently damage them — and most of them are easily avoided once you know what to watch for.

Here's everything you need to know.

Are Handmade Ceramics Dishwasher Safe?

Most quality handmade stoneware ceramics — including all Koloh pieces — are dishwasher safe. Stoneware is fired at high temperatures (above 1200°C), which makes it dense, non-porous, and extremely resistant to thermal shock and moisture.

A few things to bear in mind for dishwasher use:

• Avoid placing pieces where they'll knock together — the contact points, not the heat or water, are what cause chips.

• Use a gentle cycle if your dishwasher has one.

• Very harsh dishwasher detergents used repeatedly over years can dull some matte glazes. This is a slow, gradual process — not something that happens overnight.

If your piece has metallic lustre or gold detailing, hand wash only — dishwashers will strip metallic finishes quickly.

Microwave Safety

All Koloh ceramics are microwave safe. Lead-free, food-safe glazes present no issue in a microwave.

The one caveat: if a piece has any metallic detailing (gold, silver, copper), do not microwave it. Metal in a microwave causes arcing. Most handmade ceramics don't have metallic decoration, but it's worth checking before you heat anything up.

Avoiding Thermal Shock

Thermal shock — sudden, extreme temperature changes — is one of the few things that can crack even high-fired ceramics. In practice, this means: don't take a piece directly from a freezer and fill it with boiling water. Don't put a cold piece into a preheated oven.

For everyday use — hot coffee, soup from the microwave, a warmed plate from the oven — stoneware handles temperature changes without issue. It's the extremes to avoid.

Handling and Storage

The most common cause of chipping in ceramic tableware isn't washing or heating — it's handling. Specifically, it's pieces knocking together during storage or washing.

• Stack plates and bowls carefully. Place a cloth or felt pad between pieces if you're stacking in a cabinet where they might shift.

• Hang mugs or store them with space between them rather than crowded together.

• The rim is the most vulnerable point on any ceramic piece — that's where chips most often occur, and where to be most careful.

  
  

Staining and Discolouration

Light-coloured or white glazes can sometimes show staining from strong tea, coffee, or turmeric over time. This is common to all light ceramics — handmade or factory.

To remove staining, soak the piece in a solution of warm water and bicarbonate of soda for 20–30 minutes, then wash normally. Avoid bleach — it can damage glaze surfaces with repeated use.

Matte glazes are slightly more porous than glossy glazes and may absorb staining a little more readily. This isn't a defect — it's the nature of the material — but it's worth knowing if you're choosing between a matte and glossy finish for a piece you'll use daily for tea or coffee.

What to Do If a Piece Chips

Small chips at the rim are the most common form of damage in daily-use ceramics. A chipped piece is still usable in most cases — the chip doesn't compromise the structural integrity of the piece, and food-safe glaze properties aren't affected.

If a chip bothers you aesthetically, a ceramics repair artist can often restore it beautifully — a practice called kintsugi in Japanese tradition fills cracks and chips with gold lacquer, treating the repair as part of the object's story rather than something to hide.

The Short Version

Dishwasher safe. Microwave safe. Avoid extreme temperature changes and knocks. Hand wash pieces with metallic detailing. That's it. A well-made ceramic piece, treated with basic care, will outlast most things in your kitchen — and get more beautiful as it does.