MeigonWhen you hear the word “tea,” you probably think of an afternoon with friends, a cup or two of the brew in a traditional china teacup, and maybe even a few nibbles to munch on. However, tea can be much more than that — it can also be an art form that calls for careful preparation. Here are some tips on learning how to clean and maintain your tea table first before diving into learning how to make delicious sips of it.
1. Clean your tea table
If your tea table is made of wood and is not lacquered or sealed, keep it! But if it is, prepare to rub all that grime from the wood with something suitable. Try using a paintbrush, a soft bristle brush, or even flour if you want to stay organic. Make sure that you scrub those surfaces well before you wipe them down dry with a rag.
2. Don’t let your teacup get too full
Teacups are supposed to be small and delicate — they are meant to be sipped from and not gulped down! Keep your tea cups small so that they don’t get overfull as well. If you’re drinking green tea, make sure that the leaves do not go over the rim of your teacup — they are usually very delicate and should be handled with care.
3. Don’t let your guests constantly fill up your cup
As mentioned before, it’s best to drink a small quantity of tea at a time so that you don’t have to fill yourself up with sugar and other undesirable ingredients that are usually found in most cups of tea. However, this is also one of the biggest mistakes made by hosts: not allowing their guests to ever refill their cups. Even if they’re just having a few cups, the tea table must look like the guests are not constantly taking sips out of it.
4. Be mindful of your teacups’ health
Because of how fragile and breakable they are, you should be very careful when storing and transporting your teacups. If they are being used a lot, make sure you have them in a container so that you can keep them from banging into one another or being bumped when you place them on the shelf or other surfaces. If you have a lot of them, don’t stack them all in one place — it’s best to spread them out and keep each one in a separate place to avoid scratches.
5. Clean your tea table after using it
After your guests have left, you can wash your tea table with soap and warm water. However, because it is made of wood and has delicate parts, be careful when cleaning it so that you don’t break it or ruin its delicate parts. For example, if there are pieces that can easily move around — such as legs or other detachable pieces — set the whole thing up before you clean the surface by laying out all those pieces on paper towels to protect their integrity.
Conclusion
Now you know how to clean and maintain your tea table. Make sure that you care for its beauty so that it stays in tip-top shape. It’s always best to be in such a way that your guests leave happy — especially if they’re having a good time with you!
