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Maintain Your Ohitsu for Maximum Good Looks
Ohitsu are a simple yet effective piece of kitchenware for preparing the perfect rice–the kind of rice that will get you that big promotion or the cute girl that works at the local seven eleven.
But, there’s a catch: Ohitsu are alive and need to be kept in tip top condition. If you’re a rice enjoyer looking to level up your rice preparation skills, but feel intimidated by this living, breathing, sweating bowl, fear no more. Read on to learn everything you need to know to maintain your ohitsu and guarantee life success.
Before First Use - Remove Astringency
Fill the ohitsu with hot water and add 2-3 tablespoons of vinegar, stirring well. Alternatively, you can use rice washing water or rub the inside with a freshly cut lemon. Let it sit for 2-3 hours, then rinse lightly with water. This process helps to remove any bitterness from the wood, which could otherwise transfer to your rice.
After rinsing and wiping the ohitsu with a dry towel, apply some alcohol to a towel and wipe the ohitsu with the alcohol. This process will help manage tree sap stains.
Before Each Use - Dampen
Use a slightly damp cloth to wipe the inside and outside of the ohitsu. This step helps prevent food odors and colors from seeping into the wood, reducing the chance of staining.
After Each Use - Clean and Dry
Wash the ohitsu with water or hot water. If necessary, use a neutral kitchen detergent for stubborn stains, but ensure you rinse thoroughly to remove any detergent residue.
After washing, thoroughly dry the ohitsu by wiping off all moisture and leaving it upside down to air dry. Avoid direct sunlight when drying to prevent wood from cracking or warping. Once dry, store in a plastic bag or cardboard box to maintain the right level of moisture.
Additional Tips
Those are the basics of taking care of an ohitsu. Due to the living nature of the wood used to make an ohitsu, there are some unique challenges you might face compared to other kinds of kitchenware.
Preventing Odor Transfer
Wood is very porous, making it susceptible to absorbing odors from food including rice.
That’s why dampening the ohitsu before use is important. Wiping the ohitsu with a damp cloth before use can minimize the absorption of food odors. The moisture creates a barrier to between the wood and the food, preventing odor transfer.
Removing Wood Resin or Sap
When you first open up the box to your new ohitsu, you will probably notice some strange stains that look like moisture. Those stains are the natural wood resin sweating out of the wood and are perfectly normal.
If you don’t like the stains, you can manage them with the process in the “Before First Use” step above. Hot water pushes out and softens the sap, and the alcohol helps remove it.
Removing Stains
Over time, the wood will change color, becoming a deeper, darker orange.
If you want to remove the stains, use a soft brush or cloth with a mixture of baking soda and water or a mild detergent for stains that won’t come out with simple washing. Always rinse thoroughly afterward.
Preventing and Removing Mold
As you can imagine, the wood of the ohitsu may develop mold. To prevent mold, make sure to completely dry the ohitsu after each use
In severe cases of molding, use a solution of water and vinegar, lemon juice, or baking soda to clean the mold. Ensure the ohitsu is dried in a well-ventilated area to prevent recurrence.
Preventing Water Leakage
Ohitsu are useful because they help manage the moisture of the rice. The wood breathes–allowing moisture out. The wood absorbs moisture–holding moisture in when it reaches critical mass.
Minor leaks can often be due to the wood shrinking as it dries out. Fill the ohitsu with hot water for about 10 minutes to rehydrate the wood, which might resolve small leaks. If the issue persists, you might need to consider re-sealing or replacing the ohitsu.
Reattaching the Copper Hoops (Dōtaga)
Some customers have reported receiving ohitsu with copper hoops fallen off or out of place. This is because the wood shrinks as it dries. During shipping, the ohitsu are vibrated and moved often, causing the hoops to shift.
Ohitsu can be reassembled. Handle the copper hoop gently to avoid bending or damaging it. You can reattach it by carefully aligning it back into place and then gently tapping it with chopsticks and a hammer. You place the chopsticks on the hoop, facing down, and tap the chopsticks to push the hoop back into place.
It is alive
It’s important to note that over time, the ohitsu will naturally change. Wood will change color, stain, fall apart, etc. No bowl lives forever unscathed by the forces of entropy. The way wood ages is part of its charm.
However, if you follow the guide and tips above, you and your ohitsu should be able to live a long, handsome life filled with the most delicious rice you’ll ever taste.
