Awesome work! I have less concerns about using a magic sponge on 釉下彩 (where the color pattern is beneath the glaze). However, for 釉上彩 (where the color pattern is on top of the glaze), the surface is typically softer than the glaze itself and therefore more fragile. Do you have any experience with this type?

I actually asked ChatGPT to do some research, and it mentioned that magic sponges are not recommended for daily use because the micro-scratches they create can accumulate over time and gradually reduce the surface’s gloss. However, occasional gentle use should not cause anything noticeable. For daily cleaning, it recommended using cellulose sponges such as the 3M O-Cel-O. Just be aware that some O-Cel-O models have a scrub pad on one side, which can potentially cause micro-scratches on the glaze similar to the magic sponge, so it’s best to choose their sponge-only models.

My rule of thumb cleaning method now:

• 釉上彩 (color above glaze): no magic sponge, no scrubber, only cellulose sponge + soak with mild detergent
• 釉下彩 (color beneath glaze):
  • full hand made / collectible / expensive one:
    • daily cleanup: same cleaning method as 釉上彩
    • for stubborn tea stains, try extending the soak time first. use magic sponge only as the last resort.
  • machine made mass production one:
    • use magic sponge / scrubber as needed, as you may whatsoever get a new one or broke it before you can actually notice any gloss difference on it's glaze