A Teapot enthusiast raised a question: after performing the opening ritual for his new teapot, a layer of white mist appeared on its surface.

He used the common method of boiling the teapot in water, and this issue left him quite perplexed. Here, we list the possible causes of this phenomenon for your reference:

Possibility One: Water quality issue, mineral (scale) adsorption.

If the water contains a high amount of calcium and magnesium ions, when heated, they combine with anions to form minerals like calcium carbonate, which are insoluble in water and adhere to the surface of the teapot. This is similar to how the surface of an egg becomes whitish after boiling. Different regions have different water qualities, and the presence of varying amounts of calcium and magnesium can produce different effects.

Possibility Two: The body of the teapot was underfired during kiln firing, meaning the degree of crystallization was not fully achieved.

When the firing temperature is insufficient, the clay particles do not reach their full crystallization point, and the sand or granules within the inner and outer walls and cross-sections of the body do not achieve complete crystallization. This results in a higher porosity in the body, leading to a stronger adsorption effect. Minerals in the water can then adhere to the surface of the body, causing it to turn white. This is the same principle as the “spitting black” phenomenon, except that “spitting black” involves the adsorption of Tea stains during use.

The above two possibilities are closely related and work together on the teapot.

With good water quality, even if the teapot is underfired, there will be less adsorption; with poor water quality, even if the teapot is not underfired, some adsorption may still occur.

Therefore, the appearance of whiteness on the surface of a teapot after the opening process is due to the condensation of water scale molecules, which is a normal phenomenon and not something to worry about excessively.

The teapot enthusiast simply needs to clean off the condensed water scale from the surface and can then use the teapot normally. Over time, pay attention to keeping the teapot dry and clean. Once a patina has developed, it will enhance the unique charm of the purple clay.

Source: Purple Clay Teapot Encyclopedia, information is valuable when shared. If there are any copyright issues, please contact us to remove the content.