How to Care for Chinese Lacquerware: Everyday Use and Storage Tips

13 hours ago

4 min read

Chinese lacquerware is made with natural raw lacquer, so it is durable and grows richer and more lustrous the more you use it.

Today, I'd like to share how to care for the two kinds we specialize in: rhino skin lacquer (Xipi, 犀皮漆) and flowing gold lacquer (Liu Jin, 流金).

The good news is that Chinese lacquerware care is not much different from caring for your other tableware.

Red Chinese lacquer plate holding yellow cherry tomatoes on a wooden table — Lacquerware is made to be used every day, for fruit, rice, soup, and more.

1. Everyday Cleaning

Wash plates, bowls, cups, and chopsticks with regular dish soap and a soft cloth or sponge. Then wipe them dry with a soft towel right away rather than leaving them wet. Please don't let lacquerware soak in water for long periods, such as overnight in the sink.

Avoid steel wool, stiff brushes, and abrasive powders, which can leave scratches. Our pieces are finished by hand-polishing (揩清推光), which gives the surface its soft, warm luster. That polished layer is thin and slightly more delicate, so treat it gently.

If durability matters more to you than that warm glow, let us know before you order. We can finish a custom piece without the final hand-polishing. It will be more resistant to scratches and will still have a shine, but a brighter one, without the same soft, mellow depth.

Flowing gold lacquer bowl and chopsticks, handmade Chinese lacquerware by HFDlacquerware — A flowing gold lacquer bowl and chopsticks. Wash them by hand with mild soap and a soft cloth.

2. Keep It Out of the Dishwasher, Microwave, and Oven

Most of our lacquerware has a wood body, and a few of our teacups have a porcelain body. Neither belongs in a microwave or oven, and long exposure to high heat can damage the lacquer surface.

Dishwashers are also too harsh: the strong spray and long, hot cycles wear down the finish over time. Hand washing is all your lacquerware needs.

Hot tea poured into a black and gold rhino skin lacquer teacup on a lacquer tray — Tea brewed with boiling water is perfectly fine in a lacquer cup.

3. Hot Drinks and Hot Food

Yes, you can use your lacquerware for hot food and drinks.

Tea brewed with boiling water, fresh coffee, and hot soup are all fine, because cured raw lacquer handles everyday serving temperatures well. Just avoid pouring in sizzling oil straight from the pan, and never place lacquerware over a flame or on a stovetop.

Red lacquer mug with gold crackle pattern on a wooden dining table — Your morning coffee, served in natural lacquer.

4. Wood Body vs. Porcelain Body

Whatever the body underneath, it is sealed inside many layers of lacquer and never touches your food or the outside air. So in daily use, every piece is cared for the same way.

There is one small difference. Our black porcelain teacups are a little more tolerant of moisture than wood-body pieces, but like any porcelain, they can chip or crack if dropped or knocked hard. Handle them as you would a favorite ceramic cup.

Red rhino skin lacquer teacup on a black and gold rhino skin lacquer tray — Our porcelain-body teacups are cared for just like our wood-body pieces. Just handle them as you would a favorite ceramic cup.

5. Display and Storage

Wood naturally expands and contracts with heat and humidity. Many of our wood-body pieces are reinforced with hemp cloth and a lacquer-and-clay ground (披麻挂灰) to help prevent cracking. Even so, please keep lacquerware away from radiators, heating vents, and other direct heat sources.

Ordinary sunlight coming through a window is fine. But if a spot gets strong sun all day, such as a sunroom, store your pieces elsewhere and bring them out when you use them. Don't leave lacquerware sitting in full summer sun for months at a time.

Hemp cloth being applied to a wooden lacquer jar body, a traditional Chinese lacquer technique — Hemp cloth and a lacquer-and-clay ground (披麻挂灰) help keep wood-body pieces from cracking.

6. Chinese Lacquerware Care: Common Questions

Does new lacquerware have a smell? Raw lacquer has a slightly sour smell only while it is still liquid. Our pieces are slowly cured in a humid, shaded room until fully hardened, so they have little to no odor. If you notice a faint scent when you first unbox a piece, leave it in a well-ventilated spot for a few days and it will fade.

What if my piece gets a small scratch? Get in touch with us and send a photo. We'll look at the specific problem and let you know the best way to restore it.

How long will lacquer chopsticks last? With normal daily use, several years at least.

Will the color change over time? Yes, and that is part of its beauty. Natural lacquer slowly becomes clearer and brighter as it is exposed to light and use, so colors and patterns show more vividly over time. On rhino skin lacquer, the many colored layers in the pattern become especially rich and distinct. Your hands also build up a gentle patina on the surface, giving the piece a richer, deeper luster than when it was new.

Close-up of hand-polished rhino skin lacquer chopsticks with black and gold layered pattern — Hand-polishing gives the surface its soft, warm luster, so treat it gently.

Made to Be Used

Once you start using handmade Chinese lacquerware, you may find it hard to go back. A single piece can stay with you for years, and over time it quietly records the moments you have shared with it. It stops being just an object and becomes part of your daily life.

— Zoe of HFDlacquerware (禾丰鼎)