×
  • Home
  • Daily
    • Buyers Guides
    • Composting
    • Container Gardening
    • Easy Healthy Recipes
    • Food Preservation
    • Garden Design
    • Garden Tools
    • Gardening LIfe
      • Animals in the Garden
      • Funny Business
      • Gardening History
      • Gardening Humor
      • Gardening Mishaps
      • Gardening Poems
      • Gardening Romance
      • Gardening Science
      • Gardening with Kids
      • Healing Gardens
      • Joy of Gardening
      • Mystical Gardens
      • Ornamental Gardening
    • Growing Fruits & Berries
    • Indoor Gardening
    • Pests & Diseases
    • Seeds & Seedlings
    • Soil & Fertilizer
    • Spice & Herb Gardening
    • Vegetable Gardening
    • Watering & Irrigation
  • Freebies
  • Videos
  • Magazines
    • Food Gardening Magazine
    • GreenPrints Magazine
    • RecipeLion Magazine
  • Books
    • GuideBooks
    • Cookbooks
      • Beverages
      • Bakery
      • Breakfast
      • Appetizers
      • Salads & Dressings
      • Soups
      • Entrées
      • Side Dishes & Sauces
      • Desserts
    • Story Collections
    • StoryBooks
    • Recipe Collections
  • Kits
    • Garden Calendars
    • Garden Plans
    • Recipe Cards
    • Greeting Cards
    • ArtPrints
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Affiliate Program
  • Sponsor Program
  • Give a Gift
  • Privacy Policy & Terms of Use
  • Authors
  • GreenPrints Writer’s Guidelines
  • Keyword Index
  • Join
Celebrating 5 Years of Food Gardening

Food Gardening Network

Growing food, fun & more

Give a GiftJoin
Mequoda Publishing Network
  • Daily
    • Buyers Guides
    • Composting
    • Container Gardening
    • Easy Healthy Recipes
    • Food Preservation
    • Garden Design
    • Garden Tools
    • Gardening Life
      • Animals in the Garden
      • Funny Business
      • Gardening History
      • Gardening Humor
      • Gardening Mishaps
      • Gardening Poems
      • Gardening Romance
      • Gardening Science
      • Gardening with Kids
      • Healing Gardens
      • Joy of Gardening
      • Mystical Gardens
      • Ornamental Gardening
    • Growing Fruits & Berries
    • Indoor Gardening
    • Pests & Diseases
    • Seeds & Seedlings
    • Soil & Fertilizer
    • Spice & Herb Gardening
    • Vegetable Gardening
    • Watering & Irrigation
  • Freebies
  • Videos
  • Magazines
    • Food Gardening Magazine
    • GreenPrints Magazine
    • RecipeLion Magazine
  • Books
    • GuideBooks
    • Cookbooks
      • Beverages
      • Bakery
      • Breakfast
      • Appetizers
      • Salads & Dressings
      • Soups
      • Entrées
      • Side Dishes & Sauces
      • Desserts
    • Story Collections
    • StoryBooks
    • Recipe Collections
  • Kits
    • Garden Calendars
    • Garden Plans
    • Recipe Cards
    • Greeting Cards
    • ArtPrints
  • Sign In
  • Search

How to Clean Terracotta Pots of Algae, Minerals, and Disease

How to Clean Terracotta Pots of Algae, Minerals, and Disease

Terracotta pots can grow lots of edible plants. But if you don't take good care of them, you may end up with algae, minerals, or disease. Learn how to clean terracotta pots before it's too late.

By Amanda MacArthur | February 19, 2025

how to clean terracotta pots

Plants don’t just absorb nutrients from their environment; they actually filter them out too! That’s why we’re able to grow plants using manure, for instance. If you’ve inherited old pots from previous owners, you may be wondering what was used inside them before they were yours. Plastic—which certainly has its own risks—can be washed down and even bleached without much worry, but terracotta is extremely porous, so if someone was previously growing flowers in them and not worrying about what kind of weed killer they were slathering on it, or if they’re covered in mold, you probably want to know how to clean terracotta pots sooner rather than later.

Vegetables in terracotta pots.

Using Terracotta Pots to Grow Vegetables

Terra Cotta means “baked earth” and these rust-colored clay pots are beloved by food gardeners, myself included, especially for drought-resistant plants that don’t like to stay wet after being watered.

Terracotta pots are a great choice for indoor gardening because they can withstand temperatures ranging from -40°F (-40°C) to 120°F (50°C), making them perfect for home-based growers who live in any climate. They also have the added benefit of being somewhat lightweight, which makes them easy to move around your house or garden. In addition, they come with built-in drainage holes that allow excess water to drain away naturally, which can prevent root rot in plants that seek good drainage.

But after a while, terracotta pots need to be cleaned because you’ll start to see the build-up of mineral salts from tap water and fertilizers, not to mention algae and other diseases. So here are a few good ways to get them clean with a little bit of elbow grease.

Discover 7 top tips for growing, harvesting, and enjoying tomatoes from your home garden—when you access the FREE guide The Best Way to Grow Tomatoes, right now!

How to Clean Terracotta Pots With Water and Dishsoap

If your issues are mostly cosmetic, you can easily clean terracotta pots with just water and chemical-free dish soap. This also ensures you’re not adding any new chemicals to the pot, or anything that might affect the pH of the soil later.

1. While wearing a mask, the first step in cleaning terracotta pots is to remove all plant debris, including leaves, stems, vines, and roots. You should also wash off any dirt or dust that might have accumulated over time. Discard all of it.

2. Next, soak the pot in a mix of dish soap and water, and use a stiff brush or steel wool to scrub the pot. You’ll need to work carefully as you do this.

3. Once you’ve cleaned the pot thoroughly, rinse it well under running water. To dry the pot, place it upside down on a rack or towel and let it air dry overnight. If you’re planting soon, you can even leave it in water until you plan to plant, because while a dry pot will siphon out the water from your plant, a wet one will leave it alone.

How to Clean Terracotta Pots with Vinegar

For algae, mildew, and beyond, you’ll want to use vinegar for cleaning. Here’s how.

1. While wearing a mask, remove plant debris, leaves, stems, roots, and vines. Rinse off excess dirt. Discard all of it.

2. Follow the steps above with water and dish soap, then in a large bucket, add a ratio of 1 part vinegar to 20 parts water.

3. Soak your terracotta pots for 30 minutes to an hour.

4. Use a stiff brush to scrub the pots, then rinse with water. Dry the pot by placing it upside down on a rack or towel. If you’re using vinegar then I’m assuming you have disease and want it dead, so instead of air drying you can put it in the oven at low heat for 30 minutes. Be sure to check the pot after every 10 minutes or so to make sure it doesn’t burn. Then let it cool in the oven before removing it so it doesn’t crack.

Why You Should Clean Terracotta Pots

  • Algae leads to more algae which leads to more algae
  • Mineral deposits from hard water can actually burn the roots of the plants inside.
  • You can toss out old soil that might have old bug eggs in it, and will most certainly contain bacteria (a good reason to wear a mask).

If you were growing flowers I’d also tell you that to keep the terracotta pots looking new, you can apply a coat of clear sealer when they’re completely dry. This will help protect them against stains, scratches, and other damage. However, for food plants, I don’t apply any added chemicals.

Discover 7 top tips for growing, harvesting, and enjoying tomatoes from your home garden—when you access the FREE guide The Best Way to Grow Tomatoes, right now!

Have you used these tips on how to clean terracotta pots at home? What was your result? Share your other tips in the comments below.

« Gardening with Children is Good for Life Lessons
How to Grow Tropical Fruit Plants in Any Zone »

Related Posts

  • The 6 Best Containers for Container Gardening
  • How to Fertilize Container Vegetables for Best Results
  • Making Food-Safe DIY Window Box Planters Fit for a Home Chef

Tags

indoor gardening

Comments
  • Kathy S. March 7, 2024

    Can I grow my African violet in a terracotta pot and water it from the bottom.

    Reply
    • Norann O. March 28, 2024

      Absolutely – your African violet should do well in an unglazed terracotta pot. Water should be able to migrate through the terracotta, allowing your plant to receive moisture and optimal humidity.

      Reply
  • Mary Ann H. December 19, 2023

    White vinegar?

    Reply
    • Norann O. December 20, 2023

      We recommend using white vinegar or cleaning vinegar since it has the highest acidity level

      Reply
  • Beverly N. March 7, 2022

    Can’t wait to grow some lettuce in a pot at my campsite.

    Reply

Click here to cancel reply.

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Give a Gift

FREEBIE!

With your FREEBIE, you’ll also receive regular email messages from the Food Gardening Network. You can unsubscribe at any time.

Your email address is private. We promise never to sell, rent or disclose your email address to third parties.

Freebies

  • Worst Best Gardening Jokes Calendar
  • 5 Easy Healthy Carrot Recipes
  • 5 Easy Healthy Lemon Recipes
  • 5 Easy Healthy Salsa Recipes
  • 5 Easy Healthy Apple Recipes
  • 5 Easy Healthy Chicken Breast Recipes
  • Top 11 Food Gardening Tools You Need to Succeed
  • A Printable Companion Planting Chart
  • Plants for Bug Control Chart
  • Printable Seed Germination Temperature Chart
  • Printable Tomato Garden-to-Table Chart
  • Planning Your Perfect Food Garden
  • Printable Butterfly Garden Planting Chart
  • The Best Way to Grow Tomatoes
  • Printable Composting 101 Charts
  • How to Master Spice and Herb Gardening at Home
  • Printable Monthly Gardening Calendar
  • 10 Best Garden Poems of All Time
  • Vegetable Garden Planting Chart Freebie
  • Printable Flower Garden Companion Planting Chart
  • 10 Things You Can Grow That Your Pet Will LOVE To Eat!
  • Rose Garden Planting Chart Freebie
  • Printable Kitchen Garden Planting Charts
  • Sunflower Garden Planting Chart Freebie
  • Seasonal ArtPrints Collection Kit Sampler
  • Sampler: Gardening Humor
  • Sampler: Wit, Wisdom, & Learning
  • Gardening in Every Season
  • How to Start a Freedom Garden
  • Recipes from Your Garden
  • Sampler: Animals in the Garden
  • Sampler: Healing Gardens
  • Sampler: Joy of Gardening
  • Growing Vegetables Indoors for Beginners
  • 15 Easiest Fruits to Grow at Home
  • How to Grow a Vegetable Garden

Browse Topics

  • Buyers Guides
  • Composting
  • Container Gardening
  • Easy Healthy Recipes
  • Food Preservation
  • Garden Design
  • Garden Tools
  • Gardening Life
  • Growing Fruits & Berries
  • Indoor Gardening
  • Ornamental Gardening
  • Pests & Diseases
  • Seeds & Seedlings
  • Soil & Fertilizer
  • Spice & Herb Gardening
  • Uncategorized
  • Vegetable Gardening
  • Watering & Irrigation

Buyers Guides:

  • 9 Automated Garden Tools for Effortless Growing
  • 12 Cool Gardening Tools and Gifts for the Plant Lover in Your Life
  • Choosing the Best Shovel for Your Gardening Needs
  • 10 Gardening Tools for Seniors That Actually Make a Difference
  • This Countertop Compost Machine Turns Scraps into Compost in a Few Hours
  • 10+ Food Gardening Gadgets We Love
  • 15 Adaptive and Accessible Gardening Tools and Raised Beds
  • 13 Canning Tools, Supplies & Equipment You Need
  • The 3 Best Gardening Shoes
  • 5+ Best Bird Deterrents for Gardens
  • Shop Our Amazon Store

Authors:

  • Bill Dugan
  • Amanda MacArthur
  • Mike McGrath
  • Don Nicholas
  • Norann Oleson
  • Christy Page
  • Becky Rupp
  • Beth Rush
  • Pat Stone
  • Diana Wells

Enter Your Log In Credentials

This setting should only be used on your home or work computer.

  • Lost your password? Create New Password
  • No account? Sign up

Need Assistance?

Call Food Gardening Network Customer Service at
(800) 777-2658

Food Gardening Network is an active member of the following industry associations:

  • American Horticultural Society
  • GardenComm Logo
  • GardenComm Laurel Media Award
  • MCMA logo
  • Join Now
  • Learn More
  • About Food Gardening Network
  • Contact Us
  • Affiliate Program
  • Sponsor Program
  • Give a Gift
  • Privacy Policy & Terms of Use

Food Gardening Network
99 Derby Street, Suite 200
Hingham, MA 02043
support@foodgardening.mequoda.com

To learn more about our Email Marketing and Broadcasting Services, Exchange Program, or to become a marketing partner with any of our publications, click here to contact us at Mequoda Publishing Network.

FREE E-Newsletter for You!

Discover how to grow, harvest, and eat good food from your own garden—with our FREE e-newsletter, delivered directly to your email inbox.

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest

Powered by
Mequoda Publishing Network
copyright © 2025 Mequoda Systems, LLC

Food Gardening Network®, Food Gardening Magazine® and GreenPrints® are registered trademarks of Mequoda Systems, LLC.

Go to mobile version