How To Clean A Granite Mortar And Pestle

A mortar and pestle is a great tool to have in your kitchen. But like any chef's implement, it must be carefully cleaned. If your mortar and pestle are made from granite, you might be wondering how to clean it properly. We can help.

We researched these tools from multiple professional sources, so you'll know what steps to take.

Cleaning a granite mortar and pestle can be done quickly and easily by taking the following steps:

Wash the mortar and pestle with warm water.
Apply a small amount of soap. Scrub both parts.
Thoroughly rinse both parts until the soap residue is gone.
Carefully dry.

Now that we know how to clean a granite mortar and pestle, we'll look at each step in more detail. You might also wonder if you can clean granite tools with vinegar or how to use a granite mortar and pestle for the first time.

For the answers to these questions and more, read ahead in this post to see what our research has uncovered.

Follow the steps carefully to ensure that your granite mortar and pestle are cleaned correctly.

Granite is not nearly as porous as other materials used in your kitchen. The physical makeup of granite makes it super easy to clean. As we outlined earlier in this post, it's no more than applying soap, water, and a little bit of elbow grease.

You'll want to clean the granite mortar and pestle as soon as you finish using it. Allowing certain materials to sit undisturbed on the granite for too long will make cleaning them more challenging.

Wash the mortar and pestle with warm water.

There's no need for special cleaners or sprays. Run some warm water through your kitchen faucet and let it wash away any residues from what you were grinding with the mortar and pestle. Use your fingers to rid the tools of any stubborn materials.

Apply a small amount of soap. Scrub both parts.

Use a drop or two of dish soap and a dishrag or kitchen sponge for this step. Gently build the soap and warm water into a lather. Scrub both the mortar and pestle thoroughly.

This step might take a bit longer, depending on what you were crushing with the mortar and pestle. Before moving on to the next step, you will want to ensure every trace is scrubbed away.

Thoroughly rinse both parts until the soap residue is gone.

Once the soap has been liberally applied, you will need to rinse the mortar and pestle. Under a steady stream of warm water, rinse both parts until no traces of soap appear.

Inspect the mortar and pestle when you are finished. Repeat the earlier steps if there are any remaining traces of the substance you ground earlier.

Carefully dry.

When the mortar and pestle have been adequately cleaned, it will need to be dried before you store it. Use a soft cotton towel for this, being sure to remove every drop of water from the surfaces of both parts.

In a pinch, you can wipe the mortar and pestle off and turn the bowl upside down to air dry. But before putting it away, ensure both parts are bone dry. This will keep any moisture from staining or otherwise damaging the tools.

The risks of not properly cleaning your granite mortar and pestle

You might be tempted to put away your granite mortar and pestle as soon as you've used them to grind your ingredients. Neglecting the proper care of these tools can not only damage them, but they can also pose risks to your health.

Your mortar and pestle need to be cleaned to remove any residual material that you just ground with them.

Organic debris that is allowed to accumulate will stain the tools. It will also impact the flavor of the next items you use the mortar and pestle to grind.

Organic material will decay over time. This can create a situation where unwanted bacteria will grow and spread. Cleaning your mortar and pestle will rid the tools of this problem before it begins.

It only takes a few moments to clean, so it's advisable to do so before you forget!

Will vinegar clean a granite mortar and pestle?

While soap and water work well to clean a granite mortar and pestle, there are other methods you can use. A good vinegar and water solution will also do the job.

The acidity of the vinegar will work to remove the debris from your last grinding job. When mixed with warm water, the vinegar will also be effective in ridding the tools of any lingering odors. This will get them back to a neutral smell in no time.

For this method, only use white vinegar.

How do you use a granite mortar and pestle for the first time?

You might be tempted to remove the mortar and pestle from the box it came in and use it for the first time immediately. And while this is fine, you might consider taking some steps to prepare these tools for your kitchen better.

You'll want to rinse the mortar and pestle first with warm water. This will eliminate any residual grit and dust or debris from the packaging. This should be good enough if you have a mortar and pestle made from granite.

But if your tools are made from volcanic rock, you have much more porous material. In this case, put some inexpensive white rice in the bowl, along with some warm water. Grind the rice and water until it's a paste.

As soon as the paste is made, scrub it with a brush and warm water. This will remove all the grit, and your tools will be ready to grind ingredients for your favorite recipes.

Do you have to season granite rock pans?

A mortar and pestle aren't the only items in your kitchen that granite is used to craft. Granite rock pans have become popular types of cookware over the years. If you have some in your kitchen, you will want to be sure to treat these great pieces with care.

These pans will not need to be seasoned, however. The many layers of this material combine to give the cooking surface chemical properties that are very similar to glass. This means that it is not going to be very porous, thus eliminating the need to season it to clean it.

These non-stick pieces of cookware are great additions to any kitchen. They cook very well and are a breeze to wipe out and clean. Additionally, they are dishwasher safe.

Can you get stains out of a mortar and pestle?

Though you are careful and always clean your mortar and pestle after each use, these tools can stain over time. Some stains are a lot more stubborn than others, making it a bit frustrating. But there is a great and easy way to rid these tools of unwanted stains.

To get your mortar and pestle looking new again, you'll only need some white rice and warm water. Put a small amount of rice in the bowl, slowly adding the warm water. Grind the rice into a paste.

As soon as you've ground all the rice, you'll scrub the paste away. This should remove unwanted stains. Repeat if necessary.

If you have unwanted odors coming from your mortar and pestle, use white vinegar and water or lemon juice. Let these fluids sit for up to 30 minutes before rinsing away. This will eliminate the smells.

Final thoughts

Cleaning a granite mortar and pestle is an easy task but an important one to tackle after each use. Always clean and dry these tools before you store them to avoid stains and contamination.

Seasoning a granite mortar and pestle isn't necessary, but it is another cleaning method you might want to consider.

You're at the end! Thanks for reading this far. If you'd like more helpful information, we suggest checking out the following posts:

How To Season A Wooden Mortar And Pestle [Inc. Maintenance Care]?

Does A Blender Work As A Food Processor? [The Answer Might Surprise You!]

Are Granite Mortar And Pestles Safe? [And How To Use]