How do you clean your pots?

[Adair M]

I've been using walnut oil on my pots. You can just use the oil used for cooking, or you can make a sock using real walnuts.

Take about 1/2 cup of walnut meats and put them in the toe of an old sock. Tie with s twist tie. Pound the nuts with a hammer. The oil will disk into the sock. Then use the sock to rub the pots.

The benefit of this way is it prevents too much oil being transferred to the pot. Do it as often as you want, but about a week before the show. That way it won't have a shine.

 

[M. Frary]

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

How about Pam cooking spray? Use butter flavor so they smell nice.

 

[Dav4]

Just dug this one out of the muck for the photo op. Full disclosure: this one was planted in the veggie garden AFTER I read BVF's article on mineral deposit removal. There may be slightly less scale on the pot, but not much less. We'll see what another 6 to 12 months will do.

 

[jk_lewis]

Here you go. Home Despot.

 

[Anthony]

Interesting Adair,

walnut oil is a drying oil, does that mean it will eventually build up like paint on the pot?
Calcium / Magnesium compounds should come off with vinegar.
Rainwater does not give this problem ?
Good Day
Anthony

 

[Adair M]

Interesting Adair,

walnut oil is a drying oil, does that mean it will eventually build up like paint on the pot?
Calcium / Magnesium compounds should come off with vinegar.
Rainwater does not give this problem ?
Good Day
Anthony

Maybe so, Anthony. Builds up a nice patina!

 

[JudyB]

Here you go. Home Despot.

Thanks!

 

[Random Usr]

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

Looks like everyone's fallen off the rails. Your OP clearly states, "How do you get mineral deposits off your pots ... " not "prevention".
In any case, I just tried WD40. the only thing it did was make the pot "wet" - water would have done just as good. Has anyone tried Walter Pall's suggestion; silicone?

 

[Cypress187]

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/

Haha, very cool article man. Only problem that I don't have a garden

 

[sorce]

Haha, very cool article man. Only problem that I don't have a garden

http://www.lifesanity.com/make-your-own-kitchen-compost-bin/

http://www.planetpals.com/DIY-counter-compost-bin.html

http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/how-to-make-your-own-indoor-compost-bin-138645

From....

https://www.google.com/search?site=...p..4.16.1840.0..46j0i3j0i131j0i46.ufjfvTxuok0

Sorce

 

[Random Usr]

I've now tried both WD-40 and Silicone spray - and got to work with some elbow grease and a plastic-bristled brush ...... neither did anything to cleaning the pot. All they did was darken the calcium deposit to make the pot look cleaner FROM A DISTANCE. I think the only thing that will do the job is a short-bristled, stiff, plastic rotary brush on the end of a dremel or an electric drill. I've got a dremel and a drill ..... but no brush that will fit the chuck.

 

[Adair M]

If you don't mind getting nice patina off, then soaking the pot in white vinegar should get the mineral deposits off.

 

[Random Usr]

There's a sorbus in fruit (for the first time) inside the thing.

 

[Adair M]

There's a sorbus in fruit (for the first time) inside the thing.

Well, you don't soak it in vinegar with a tree in it! Lol!!!

Usually, oil hides the worst of the mineral stains.

 

[Random Usr]

How to Remove Calcium from Bonsai Pots:
http://www.bonsainut.com/threads/how-to-remove-calcium-from-bonsai-pots.24301/