This article was co-authored by Alessandra Mendes. Alessandra Mendes is a Cleaning Specialist and the Founder of Cleaning Glow. With ten years of experience, Alessandra and her team specialize in providing residential cleaning services in the San Francisco Bay Area. All members of the Cleaning Glow team have completed thorough background checks.
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How you clean your mortar and pestle depends on the material it is made of. To clean stone mortar and pestles made from marble, granite or lava stone, use warm water and rice. Clean ceramic, glass, and metal (alloy, brass, iron) mortar and pestles with warm water and a rough scrub brush. For bamboo and wooden mortar and pestles, use a damp cloth to wipe them clean. Do not use soap to clean your mortar and pestle.
Things You Should Know
- To clean off dark spots, rinse your mortar and pestle, grind white rice into your mortar, and continue this process until your ground rice stays white.
- For glass, metal, and ceramic, simply rinse your mortar and pestle, give it a good scrub with a scrub brush, and finally, rinse it thoroughly again.
- If your mortar and pestle are wooden or bamboo, use a dry paper towel to remove food, wipe it down with a wet cloth, let it dry, and finally, wipe it down with mineral oil.
Steps
Remove Dark Stains from Mortar and Pestles
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1Rinse the mortar and pestle with water. Hold your mortar and pestle under warm running water. Use your hand to remove food debris from both the mortar and pestle.
- Once you have thoroughly rinsed them, set them aside on a drying rack or towel to air dry.
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2Pour two tablespoons (30 ml) of rice into the mortar. Use uncooked, white rice. Using your pestle, roughly grind the rice until it becomes a dark color. Discard the colored rice. Pour in another two tablespoons (30 ml) of rice. Grind the rice until it remains white.
- You may need to repeat this process one or two more times.
- Make sure your mortar and pestle are completely dry before grinding it with rice.
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3Rinse with warm water. Once the rice remains white, thoroughly rinse the mortar and pestle with warm water until all debris is removed. Then set the mortar and pestle on a drying rack to air dry.
- Make sure your mortar and pestle are dried completely before putting them away.
Cleaning Glass, Metal, and Ceramic
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1Rinse with warm water. Place your mortar and pestle under warm running water. Rinse them until a majority of the food debris is removed.[1]
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2Scrub the mortar and pestle. Use a new (unused) scrub brush. Scrub your mortar and pestle to remove food debris that has set into them. Scrub until all food debris is removed.[2]
- Keep this scrub brush separate from the scrub brushes you use to clean dishes. Only use it to clean your mortar and pestle.
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3Rinse again. Once the food debris is removed, rinse your mortar and pestle again under warm, running water. Make sure to rinse it thoroughly until all debris is removed. Set your mortar and pestle on a drying rack to air dry.[3]
Cleaning a Wooden or Bamboo Mortar and Pestle
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1Remove food debris. Use a dry paper towel or brush to wipe food debris off of your mortar and pestle. Wipe until the majority of the debris is removed.[4]
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2Wipe your mortar and pestle. Dampen a clean cloth with warm water. Using your damp cloth, clean your mortar and pestle until your cloth wipes clean.[5]
- You may rinse the cloth in between wipes to clean it. Make sure to ring out excess water from the towel before proceeding to wipe your mortar and pestle.
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3Let it air dry. Do this once all the debris is removed. Set your mortar and pestle aside on a drying rack to air dry. Flip it a couple of times to ensure an even dry on all sides.[6]
- Make sure it is completely dry before storing it.
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4Apply mineral oil. Use a food-grade mineral oil. Pour a small amount of oil onto a clean paper towel or cloth. Then wipe the oil onto your mortar and pestle using the cloth.[7]
- Food-grade mineral oil is odorless, tasteless, and will not spoil.
Community Q&A
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QuestionCan I use olive oil if I don't have mineral oil?
Community AnswerOlive oil will turn rancid over time, but it's okay for a quick fix. It would be best to use food grade mineral oil.
References
- ↑ https://toquetips.fantes.com/mortar-and-pestle/
- ↑ http://www.thekitchn.com/good-question-c-1-5959
- ↑ http://www.thekitchn.com/good-question-c-1-5959
- ↑ https://toquetips.fantes.com/mortar-and-pestle/
- ↑ https://toquetips.fantes.com/mortar-and-pestle/
- ↑ https://www.thespruce.com/clean-and-care-for-mortar-and-pestle-3111488
- ↑ https://toquetips.fantes.com/mortar-and-pestle/
About This Article
How you clean your mortar and pestle depends on the material it’s made out of. For a stone set, pour 2 tablespoons of uncooked white rice into the mortar and use your pestle to grind it until the rice turns a dark color. Discard the rice and pour in another 2 tablespoons. Repeat this process until the rice stays white. Then, rinse the set with warm water. If your mortar and pestle are made out of glass, metal, or ceramic, rinse them under warm water first. Then, use a new scrub brush to remove any stubborn debris. To learn how to clean a wooden or bamboo mortar and pestle, keep reading!
