Keeping your clay clean is easily one of the most difficult things when working with clay. You have such a pretty piece then you find a pesky dust particle, annoying right? Your workspace can be spotless but still you find dust in your clay. I’m going to share a few tips and tricks that can help you keep your clay pieces free from dust. Whether you know these, surely there’s a thing or two you can implement into your clay making routine from things you may already have around your home!
One of the most important tools you use for every clay piece is your work surface. If your work surface isn’t clean, you can be sure you piece won’t be either. It is crucial to keep your surface clean from clay residue, unclean tools, and dust particles. My personal favorite worksurface to use is a large ceramic tile you can find at your local hardware store. It’s easy to clean and is easier to spot dust particles along the surface.
Lint rollers are a great way to keep your work surface clean. When you aren’t sure if your space is as spotless as it can be, take your lint roller and swipe along your work surface. This has helped me greatly after implementing this into my routine.
Packing tape is something I recently started implementing into my routines and once I tried it, how did I work without it? Our fingers contribute greatly to the dust that shows up on our clay whether it’s from our workspace, tools, or even our clothing. I simply cut a strip of tape and run it over my fingertips as well as my palms if I’m rolling round pieces of clay, the particles easily cling to the tape.
So you baked your clay and find some dust, that’s okay, it happens! Luckily, we have Acetone and Isopropyl Alcohol to help us. Simply take a cotton swab and gently rub off the dust particles.