Cleaning Raku

Cleaning the Raku piece after removing it from the reduction chamber is everyone's favorite job, right? If not, you might be happy using some of the following techniques I use.

The sooner the piece can be cleaned the better. If the pot is still a little warm the carbon releases much easier. Generally a green scrubby sponge makes a great tool to remove the carbon deposits from the glaze. If the carbon is a little more stubborn, a nice cleanser like Soft Scrub helps to remove the carbon. It also has an added benefit of covering up the Raku smell with a Clorox smell. For more stubborn carbon, I use low grit of steel wool, which works pretty good.

It is a good idea to wear rubber gloves to protect your hands from excess chapping. Having your hands in and out of the water several times, being wet and then dry repeatedly, and then being exposed to abrasive materials like cleanser, steel wool, or scrubby pads can really take a toll on your hands if they are not protected.

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Gary R. Ferguson - Raku Artist