All about clay jugs

Nowadays, earthenware jugs have become quite popular and in demand. They began to be used not only for domestic purposes, but also for home decoration. Read about the pros and cons of such products, as well as their varieties and care for them below.

Jugs made from clay have both advantages and disadvantages. Let's start by looking at the positive aspects of such products.

• First of all, it is worth noting the convenience of clay jugs, because they can store a variety of drinks, for example, milk, wine or kvass.
• Plus, such material as clay is natural and environmentally friendly. Clay does not emit harmful and hazardous substances, which has a positive effect not only on the health of the owner of the clay product, but also on the shelf life of the drink contained in it. In addition, clay does not react with food and does not have any effect on their taste.
• Earthenware is capable of absorbing moisture, which prevents mold from forming. And after a while, clay, as a rule, begins to give moisture back, due to which the liquid, for example, the same milk, remains fresh longer.
• Esotericists believe that clay, which is formed in natural conditions under the influence of certain natural phenomena, is capable of accumulating good energy in itself.
• Clay jugs are generally inexpensive and affordable for most people. At the present time, such products are quite popular due to the fact that they look interesting and aesthetically pleasing in the interior and give it a certain zest.

Another significant drawback is the difficulty in terms of leaving. Clay absorbs well not only moisture, but also fat and various odors. Because of this, it is sometimes quite difficult to wash such products.

Earthenware jugs come in many different varieties. Consider the characteristics by which they differ.

Clay jugs come in a wide variety of shapes and sizes. As a rule, such a product is characterized by a rounded shape, a wide neck with a small nose and an elegant handle. In addition, jugs usually come with a lid. However, at the present time on the market of goods you can see jugs of other shapes that are far from the standard.

So, the jug can have a cylindrical shape or a long, elongated neck that will expand closer to the spout. These jugs are usually used to serve wine drinks to the festive table. And low clay jugs with a wide neck can be used to store milk or the same wine. No less popular are jugs with a very narrow neck and two handles for ease of movement.

In general, an earthenware jug can be of absolutely any shape. This is due to the fact that clay is a malleable material that is quite easy to work with.

By purpose, jugs can be divided into two types: household and decorative. Household ones, as a rule, serve not only as a beautiful decoration for the home and interior, but are also suitable for use in the kitchen. They can store different liquids, be it water, wine, milk or something else. At the same time, you will not have to worry about the safety of the liquids poured into the jug.

Most of the decorative jugs are intended only for decoration. They can be used not only for interior decoration in an apartment or house, but also for garden decoration. Large to medium sized earthenware jugs can go well with a variety of garden toys. Also, they can be used to grow plants or flowers.

Clay products are not too difficult to maintain, but some nuances are still present.

When removing an earthenware container from the oven or stove, do not place it on a cold surface. It is best to put such a container on a wooden stand. Otherwise, you run the risk of spoiling the clay product: at first, small cracks will appear on it, and then it will become completely unusable.

Before using the earthenware jug, it is recommended to boil it in a special solution. It is easy to make, for this you need water, a glass of vinegar and one spoonful of table salt.

Besides, before using the container for cooking something in it, it is recommended to thoroughly soak it with water. Just submerge the vessel completely in water and wait about two hours. As a result, a steamer effect will appear during cooking.

So, there should be one jug for milk, another for wine. If this is not possible, then before using the product, it must be calcined in an oven or oven in order to destroy the foreign smell.

Washing clay dishes also requires special attention. To wash the container, you need to completely fill it with cool water, add a small amount of vinegar to it and place in a cold oven. Next, the oven must be gradually heated so that the water boils. This should be done for about half an hour, after which the water should cool down. After that, the vessel must be washed with soap and water and rinsed.

Next, the jug should be wiped off with a towel and dried. It is best to dry it outdoors, if possible.

If you have a desire to decorate an earthenware jug, you can do it in different ways. The simplest is to paint the product in one color or another. You can paint it with acrylic paints, which are sold in art stores.

If you wish, you can apply a kind of painting to the surface of the jug. To do this, it is better to contact a professional master or do it yourself. For decorating such a product with your own hands, you may need a ready-made stencil in order to correctly apply the contour of the desired pattern, and acrylic paints.

Besides, to paint a jug, you can use a currently popular technique called decoupage. This is a rather time-consuming task that requires not only acrylic paints, but also acrylic varnish, decoupage napkins and more. However, the result is worth it. As a result, you will receive a beautiful and unique product with an individual design.