How do you clean your pots?

[Bonsai Nut]

How do you get mineral deposits off your pots without killing your trees?

 

[garywood]

Change pots? or CLR with a brush but not very effective.

 

[Brian Van Fleet]

I did a year-long experiment on this after hearing people suggest burying the pot to get rid of the mineral deposits, yet nobody could produce results demonstrating they'd tried it...so I tried it, along with several other methods. Long/short, burying the pot worked, pretty well, but took a year. If you're interested, the post showing the process is here:
https://nebaribonsai.wordpress.com/2015/01/24/removing-calcium-deposits-from-pots/

 

[Smoke]

Pumice stone and water finish with application of mineral oil or mink oil . Good as new. My water is very hard so keeping a patina is out of the question. Place the oil in the unit, give the top a couple pumps and spray any oil on the pot. Buff with cloth. Presto, easy peasy. Buy at Bed Bath and Beyond, Crate and Barrel, Cost Plus, etc. $9.99. The only way to apply oil to a pot. I just bought a new one last night. Mine lasted five years outside, seal probably gave up the ghost.

 

[Bunjeh]

Vinegar and a magic sponge. Done.

 

[Eric Group]

You are supposed to CLEAN THEM? Damn man... This hobby is just too freaking hard!

LOL

 

[Walter Pall]

Silicon spray all over the pot. The same stuff that one would use in the garage. Looks like new instantly and stays for many months.

 

[Dav4]

Long story short, if the pot has patina, live with the mineral deposits...applying an oil during display will temporarily hide the deposits. If it doesn't, CLR will probably work. Michael Ryan Bell recommends cleaning the pots every few weeks when in use and applying an oil(walnut, machine, etc) to the surface. This will prevent the mineral deposits from occurring in the first place and will help patina develop faster.

Fwiw, I have an oval Koyo buried in the veggie garden. It has horrible water stains and ok patina...I'm ok with losing some of the patina if the mineral deposits are diminished.

 

[Brian Van Fleet]

Fwiw, I have an oval Koyo buried in the veggie garden. It has horrible water stains and ok patina...I'm ok with losing some of the patina if the mineral deposits are diminished.

Excellent! Hope you share before/after pix. I think I could have left mine a little longer, but I needed the space!

 

[Dav4]

Yes, that "before" pic can be so hard to take.... I may have some pictures from when I purchased it online.

 

[Adair M]

For the really, really fine antique pots, you don't use those everyday. Pot the tree up for the show and pictures, then back into the "everyday" pot that's about the same size (or a little larger).

 

[jk_lewis]

I did a year-long experiment on this after hearing people suggest burying the pot to get rid of the mineral deposits, yet nobody could produce results demonstrating they'd tried it...so I tried it, along with several other methods. Long/short, burying the pot worked, pretty well, but took a year. If you're interested, the post showing the process is here:
https://nebaribonsai.wordpress.com/2015/01/24/removing-calcium-deposits-from-pots/

It works a bit faster if you bury the pot in a WORKING compost pile.

But I usually use a Dremel and a FIBER brush. Patina stays and the calcium deposits go. Do NOT use a wire brush.

 

[Eric Group]

Silicon spray all over the pot. The same stuff that one would use in the garage. Looks like new instantly and stays for many months.

Something like this?
http://buymbs.com/p-1311-loctite-si...bber&utm_medium=Product_CPC&utm_campaign=1308

 

[Dav4]

It works a bit faster if you bury the pot in a WORKING compost pile.

But I usually use a Dremel and a FIBER brush. Patina stays and the calcium deposits go. Do NOT use a wire brush.

Right, just don't forget the pot is there and turn the pile with a pitch fork. My pot is buried in soil that had a bunch of fresh horse manure/wood chips mixed in and piled on as mulch last fall...hoping it was acidic and warm enough to do some work...and there is a 4 ft tall stake right next to the pot so I don't put a shovel through it when I plant my tomatoes next month.

 

[Dav4]

Something like this?
http://buymbs.com/p-1311-loctite-si...bber&utm_medium=Product_CPC&utm_campaign=1308

Michael Ryan Bell says Peter Krebs uses machine oil, and I believe that's what Michael uses. He told me that routinely applying the oil, and it really doesn't matter what kind of oil you use as long as it's applied regularly, will actually prevent the mineral deposits from forming in the first place.

 

[Eric Group]

Right, just don't forget the pot is there and turn the pile with a pitch fork. My pot is buried in soil that had a bunch of fresh horse manure/wood chips mixed in and piled on as mulch last fall...hoping it was acidic and warm enough to do some work...and there is a 4 ft tall stake right next to the pot so I don't put a shovel through it when I plant my tomatoes next month.

That would be my main concern as well- breaking the pot with a shovel! I turn my compost every day, and am constantly digging in the garden...

I don't have most of my trees in fancy bonsai containers all year round, just a few at this point are in any sort of bonsai tray at all... So this isn't a huge concern for me personally... I do wonder what tigers use to clean out the INSIDE of a Bonsai pot when repotting? For instance, you have an old pot lying around, decide it is time to put a tree in it, do you disinfect the inside before potting up the new tree? I generally have scrubbed mine out with an old wire brush or tooth brush and some water at the very least, maybe use a disinfectant wipe or something if it had old dirt stuck inside... But if it has been sitting empty for an extended amount of time I don't think any illnesses or bugs could survive more than a few weeks/ months, right?

 

[Eric Group]

Michael Ryan Bell says Peter Krebs uses machine oil, and I believe that's what Michael uses. He told me that routinely applying the oil, and it really doesn't matter what kind of oil you use as long as it's applied regularly, will actually prevent the mineral deposits from forming in the first place.

Wd-40? That is about the only type of oil/ lube I generally keep on hand...

 

[Dav4]

For routine repots, I just hose the pot out with water, and maybe a quick scrub with a brush. If the tree in the pot was diseased, I'd scrub it with a brush then soak in a bleach solution for a bit.

 

[Dav4]

Wd-40? That is about the only type of oil/ lube I generally keep on hand...

He said ANY oil, petroleum based or otherwise, so I bet WD-40 would work. The idea is that the oil actually locks in/traps microscopic particles on the pot surface that eventually results in patina as they accumulate. I've been using veggie oil because that's all I have, but will be heading to HD soon to see what other options I have.

 

[JudyB]

But I usually use a Dremel and a FIBER brush. Patina stays and the calcium deposits go. Do NOT use a wire brush.

I wonder if you could point me to a link to this, there are so many brushes, want to make sure I get the right one to try this. Does this work on both glazed and unglazed?