How to maintain teaware

A gaiwan generally needs little maintenance. Just make sure to empty it of tea leaves when you are done with your tea. If you are going to finish the tea the next day it is ok to leave it in the gaiwan but more than one day can make cleaning problematic. Generally with porcelain gaiwans I rinse them and towel dry them. A Yixing gaiwan I would rinse and air dry over night. Not much goes into maintaining a gaiwan. Mostly it is don’t leave the tea in it for three or four days and you will be ok. Generally all you need to do is clean it with hot water. Soap is usually unnecessary and actually harmful to Yixing gaiwans as they will absorb the flavor of the soap.

I will second AllanK. For gaiwans I just dump the leaves out and rinse at the end of the day. I do not have any Yixing or other clay ones, so I prefer to dry them with a towel after rinsing.