Caring for handmade pieces
Clay, wood, wool, cane and brass are living materials. Looked after well, they get better with age: glazes soften, wood deepens and brass takes on a warm patina.
Here is what our makers taught us about keeping them that way, through Indian summers and monsoons.
Three habits that protect everything
Keep the air moving
Most damage to natural materials in Indian homes comes from trapped humidity. Open windows on dry days, run a fan in closed rooms during the monsoon, and never store wood, cane or textiles in plastic.
Mind the afternoon sun
Strong sun fades natural dyes, dries out cane and changes the colour of wood. A sheer curtain or a few feet of distance from a west-facing window makes a real difference.
Test on a hidden spot first
Every cleaner, oil or polish behaves differently on a handmade surface. Try it on the underside or back first, wait a day, then treat the rest.
Ceramics and stoneware
Our stoneware is fired above 1200°C, which makes it dense and hard-wearing. Tableware is glazed, lead-free and food-safe. Vases are glazed inside, so they hold water.
Everyday care
- Tableware is dishwasher and microwave safe. Hand washing with a soft sponge keeps matte glazes looking new for longer.
- Let pieces come to room temperature before they meet heat. A bowl straight from the fridge into a hot oven can crack.
- The unglazed ring on the base absorbs a little water. Let it dry fully before stacking or putting it away.
- Change vase water every two days and scrub the inside with a bottle brush once a week.
Marks, stains and small repairs
- Grey marks from cutlery on matte glazes lift off with a paste of baking soda and water, or a melamine sponge.
- White mineral rings inside a vase dissolve overnight in equal parts white vinegar and water.
- Fine lines in a reactive or crackle glaze are part of the glaze, not cracks. They will not spread.
In the monsoon
Store plates and bowls with a sheet of paper between them and keep cupboard doors open for an hour on dry days, so the unglazed foot rings do not turn musty.
Terracotta
Unglazed terracotta is porous. It breathes, darkens when damp and slowly takes on a patina. That is why plants love it, and why it needs a slightly different kind of care.
Everyday care
- Dust decorative vessels with a dry, soft paintbrush or a microfibre cloth.
- Use unglazed vessels for dried stems and branches. For fresh flowers, place a glass jar inside as a liner.
- Soak a new planter in water for an hour before potting, so the clay does not pull moisture out of the soil.
- Stand planters on a saucer or cork mat, never straight onto wooden furniture.
Marks, stains and small repairs
- White crust on the outside of a planter is mineral salt from hard water or fertiliser. Scrub it off with a stiff brush dipped in one part white vinegar to one part water, then rinse.
- Chips on decorative pieces can be touched up with a little terracotta-coloured wax crayon, buffed with a cloth.
In the monsoon
Outdoor pots can grow green algae in the rains. Raise them on pot feet so water drains away, and bring unsealed decorative pieces indoors until the monsoon ends. In hill stations, bring terracotta inside before the first frost.
Avoid
- Soap and detergents, which soak into the clay
- Filling unglazed vessels with water
- Leaving pots sitting in a tray of water
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Wood
Our furniture is solid mango, teak and ash with water-based finishes. Solid wood moves with the seasons, so a little care goes a long way.
Everyday care
- Dust with a soft, dry cloth. Wipe spills straight away with a cloth wrung out until it is almost dry.
- Use coasters under glasses and mats under anything hot.
- Oiled pieces like our teak stools like a thin coat of Danish or linseed oil every six to twelve months. Wipe it on, leave it for fifteen minutes and buff off the excess.
- Sunlight changes wood: teak deepens and mango pales. Move objects on a tabletop now and then so it ages evenly.
Marks, stains and small repairs
- White rings from a hot or wet glass often fade if you rub along the grain with a little mayonnaise or non-gel toothpaste on a soft cloth.
- Light scratches on an oiled finish disappear with a touch of oil. On lacquered pieces, use a matching furniture wax crayon.
In the monsoon
Wood swells when the air is damp, so a drawer may stick in July and slide freely again in November. Keep furniture a few centimetres from damp walls, open windows on dry days, and wipe any white mould spots with diluted white vinegar, then dry thoroughly.
Avoid
- Silicone polish sprays, which build up and cloud the finish
- Wet mops around the legs; add felt pads instead
- Placing pieces directly in front of an AC vent or heater
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Rattan and cane
Cane and rattan are woven by hand, mostly in Assam. They are light, strong and flexible, but they are plant fibres and prefer dry, airy rooms.
Everyday care
- Dust with a soft brush or the brush attachment on your vacuum, working with the weave.
- Wipe marks with a cloth that is barely damp, then let the piece dry in the shade.
- Let damp towels and clothes dry before they go into a woven basket.
Marks, stains and small repairs
- If a cane panel starts to sag, mist the underside lightly with water and let it dry away from the sun. The cane tightens as it dries.
- Snip a broken strand close to the weave with sharp scissors rather than pulling it.
In the monsoon
Cane is the first thing to show mould in a humid room. Keep it out of closed cupboards and plastic covers, run a fan on muggy days, and wipe any spots with diluted white vinegar.
Avoid
- Soaking or hosing down
- Long hours of harsh afternoon sun, which makes cane brittle
- Heavy loads in baskets made for light storage
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Cushions and throws
Handloom cotton, linen, kantha and merino all soften with use. Natural dyes are part of their beauty, and they need gentler washing than machine-made fabric.
Everyday care
- Wash cotton and linen covers inside out on a cold, gentle cycle with a mild detergent. Wash them separately for the first few washes, as natural dyes can bleed.
- Dry in the shade. Indian sun fades colour quickly.
- Iron linen while it is still slightly damp, or skip the iron and enjoy the crumple.
- Hand wash kantha and merino in cold water, press out the water in a towel and dry flat. Never wring or hang knits.
- Plump feather inserts daily and air them on a balcony once a month.
Marks, stains and small repairs
- Blot fresh food stains and rinse from the back with cold water. Hot water sets stains, especially dal and curry.
- Pills on a wool throw come off with a fabric comb. Loose threads on handloom can be pulled through to the back with a needle.
In the monsoon
Make sure textiles are bone dry before you put them away, or they will smell musty. Store them in cotton bags with dried neem leaves or cedar blocks, not in plastic.
Wool and jute rugs
Our wool rugs are hand-knotted in Bhadohi and washed to settle the pile. A good wool rug lasts decades if it is vacuumed properly and turned now and then.
Everyday care
- Expect shedding for the first few weeks. It is normal and settles on its own.
- Vacuum weekly on suction only, without a rotating brush, moving with the direction of the pile.
- Turn the rug every three to six months so it wears and fades evenly.
- Use a rug pad underneath. It stops slipping and makes the rug last longer.
Marks, stains and small repairs
- Blot spills straight away with a white cloth, working from the outside in. Never rub.
- For most stains, dab with cold water and a little wool detergent, then blot dry. Turmeric and oil stains need a specialist cleaner, so act fast and call one.
- Snip any tuft that sprouts above the pile level with scissors. Do not pull it.
- Have wool rugs cleaned by a specialist rug cleaner every year or two, rather than an ordinary dry cleaner.
In the monsoon
Keep rugs off floors that are still damp from mopping. If a rug gets wet, dry both sides quickly with fans. To store one, roll it with the pile facing inwards, wrap it in a cotton sheet with a few neem leaves, and keep it off the floor.
Avoid
- Steam cleaning or soaking jute
- Folding, which leaves permanent creases
- Beater bars and stiff brushes
Shop wool and jute rugs
Brass and metal
Most of our brass is cast and finished in Moradabad. Some pieces are lacquered to hold their shine; others are left raw to develop a warm patina over time.
Everyday care
- Dust with a soft, dry cloth. Switch off and unplug lamps before you clean them.
- On lacquered brass, a slightly damp cloth is all you need. Polish removes the lacquer.
- Raw brass darkens with time. Many people love this; if you would rather keep it bright, polish every few months.
Marks, stains and small repairs
- To brighten raw brass, rub with a paste of lemon juice and salt, or tamarind pulp, the way many families clean puja brass. Rinse and dry completely.
- A thin coat of microcrystalline wax after polishing slows tarnish down.
- Powder-coated iron frames only need a damp cloth. Touch up chips with matching metal paint.
In the monsoon
Humidity and sea air speed up tarnish. In coastal cities like Mumbai, Chennai and Goa, dry metal pieces after humid days and wipe them more often.
Avoid
- Abrasive powders or steel wool
- Polish on lacquered finishes
- Leaving water droplets to dry on the surface
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Candles
Our candles are hand-poured soy wax with cotton wicks. Soy burns cleanly and slowly, and a few habits make every candle last longer.
Everyday care
- On the first burn, let the melted wax reach the edge of the jar. That usually takes about an hour for every 2.5cm of width, and it stops the candle tunnelling.
- Trim the wick to 5mm before every burn and burn for no more than four hours at a time.
- Keep candles away from ceiling fans, open windows and AC vents. A draught makes the flame flicker, smoke and burn unevenly.
- Put candles and diyas on a heatproof surface, away from curtains, children and pets, and never leave them burning unattended.
Marks, stains and small repairs
- Put a flame out with a snuffer or by dipping the wick into the melted wax, then straighten it. Blowing it out causes smoke and splatter.
- Stop burning a jar candle when about 1cm of wax is left. Freeze the jar overnight, pop out the leftover wax and wash the jar to reuse it.
In the monsoon
Soy wax softens in the heat. Store candles below 30°C and out of direct sun. A frosty white bloom on the surface in summer is natural and does not affect how the candle burns.
Avoid
- Burning near fans or open windows
- Burning for more than four hours
- Moving a candle while the wax is liquid
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Not sure how to treat a piece?
Send us a photo and tell us what happened. We will ask the studio that made it and come back with advice specific to your piece.
- [email protected]
- Phone
- +91 80 4718 2290
- Hours
- Mon to Sat, 10am to 7pm IST