How to Recycle Ceramic Clay Using the Bucket Method

Art Teachers! Here's an alternative method for drying clay that doesn't involve a plaster slab drying station.

Steps

1
Find at least four, 5 gallon (18.9 L) buckets. (Ask the maintenance crew at your school.)^{[1]
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2
Line the buckets with heavy-duty 32 gallon (121.1 L) garbage bags. (Otherwise, it takes a long time to scrape the clay out of the bucket.)

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3
Fill the bucket with bone dry clay. (Leave the lid off.)^{[2]
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4
Pour water over the bone dry clay, completely submerging it.^{[3]
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5
Let the bone dry clay sit underwater until it turns to mush (3-6 days). Jab and stir it daily as it is submerged.^{[4]
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6
Drain the excess water off the top.^{[5]
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7
Poke several shaft holes into the bucket of clay using a 1.5" closet hanger rod. -This opens the clay for drying,
8
Poke additional shaft holes daily, until the clay loses its stickiness.
9
Slide the clay out of the bucket and dice it up with fishing line.
10
Have students wedge the diced clay.
11
Store it in a bucket with a lid.