A clean studio is a healthy studio! Please leave the space cleaner than you found it. Maintaining a clean and safe studio is the shared responsibility of every student and member. If you notice something that can be improved, please take a moment to care for it. Small acts of consideration help create a healthier, more enjoyable studio for everyone, including yourself the next time you visit. Respect for our shared studio space is expected of all participants.

WHY CLEANUP MATTERS

Clay and glaze materials may contain crystalline silica, which can become airborne as fine dust if not cleaned properly. Repeated exposure to airborne silica dust over time may pose health risks. Following these Cleanup & Safety Protocols, including using damp cleanup methods whenever possible, helps minimize dust and creates a healthier studio environment for everyone.

⚠️ IMPORTANT NOTE ABOUT WATER USAGE

• Do not run water continuously at the sinks. This will overflow the clay traps underneath!

• Always use the sink buckets to rinse tools, bats, and splash pans thoroughly. You may do a final quick rinse under the faucet if necessary.

• Never rinse large amounts of clay, glaze, plaster, or clay scraps directly down the sink. Doing so can damage the studio plumbing and clay trap system.

THE GOLDEN RULE - sponges vs. rags

• Use a large damp sponge for heavy messes, then always finish with a clean, damp rag to remove any remaining clay or glaze debris and dust. (Sponges leave residue; rags ensure a clean finish. The less dust left on our equipment, supplies and floors, the healthier the environment for everyone).

1. At Your Wheel (or table)

• Soak up excess water from wheel splash pan with a large cleanup sponge (not the small round pottery sponges), then squeeze water into throwing bucket.

• Take apart splash pan; scrape slip and water into your throwing bucket.

• Wipe down wheel, tools, and splash pan at your wheel using throwing bucket water.

• After you have gotten as much clay clean-up done at your wheel as possible, THEN carry throwing bucket to sink. Use your hand to catch clay chunks while slowly pouring water from the top of your throwing bucket into the sink buckets (never directly into the sink basin, even if the sink buckets are full).

• Please try not to let too much clay slip get into the sink!

• NO throwing water should be dumped into the clay slip bucket that’s on the floor for clay recycling. NO GLAZE WATER IN CLAY DISCARD BUCKETS!

• If trimming at wheel or tables, please sweep up any dry clay scraps from the floor under your work area. Always sweep in “slow motion” as to avoid kicking up clay and glaze dust into the air.

• Whenever possible, use damp cleanup methods instead of dry sweeping and dusting to minimize airborne clay and silica dust.

• Use the mop or a damp rag to remove wet clay or slip from around your work area floor.

• If you are working at a table only, please wipe down all tools, ware boards, hand-building boards, and your work area, stool and surrounding floor area with a damp rag. Sweep up any dry clay or glaze scraps from under table area if necessary.

2. Clay Disposal & Recycling (if not keeping your own clay scraps for re-use)

• Wet studio clay only (no glaze, paper, bisqueware, plaster, or foreign materials): Scoop chunks of clay slip from your bucket into the screened slip bucket. Push wet clay through screen - don’t leave it piled on top. Use scraper if screen is clogged or firmly tap screen insert ontop of slip bucket to dislodge dried clay scraps from screen.

• Dry/hard clay (trimmings, dried greenware, clay too hard to re-wedge): Break into small pieces and put in the dry scraps bucket. No bisqueware or glaze.

• Soft, reusable clay: Wedge and return to your clay bag. Students may take an extra empty clay bag (if available) for wet or dry clay scraps if needed.

• Tools, sponges, rags: Quick rinse if needed, then return to proper place (don’t run water too long) and do not leave tools in or on sink.

3. Clean & Return Equipment

Use a damp CLEAN rag with clean water to wipe down your work area and equipment:

• • Wheel body, stool, legs, under and around edges of wheel head, and floor around your wheel.

  • Splash pan and wooden wheel table infront of the wheel.

  • Bats (scrape and wipe off wet or dry clay chunks into clay recycling bins or your clay bag before returning to crates).

  • Wareboards (scrape and clean before shelving).

• Empty dirty water into sink buckets (not slip bucket). Give your tools, sponges, bucket, and rag a final quick rinse before putting them away. Please do not put away DIRTY sponges and rags! Rinse them out for the next person!

4. Before You Leave - Look around!

• Turn off wheels; place stools and pedals on top of wheels with splash pans.

• Wipe down any shared common spaces you used (or didn’t use): sink surfaces, faucets, wedging table, clay cart, counters, work tables, etc.

• Spot mop or wipe the floor if clay or glaze has splashed or dripped during your work session.

• Do one last look - if you see clay or glaze residue, whether its wet or dry, wipe it down with a rag to eliminate as much dust as possible.

• If you're unsure where something belongs or how something should be cleaned, please ask an instructor or staff member before leaving, or contact the studio owner via email to inquire.

• Last but not least…slow down, appreciate your efforts, and smile at yourself or someone else - you showed up today, and you did a great job!