Do you clean out your inkwell?

[SueL]

I decant my sumi ink into a glass jar to use each session, and just keep adding to it when it runs low. Over the weeks, the jar's gone completely black from the ink and the area around the lip's got dried crusted ink. My question is, do you wash out your inkwells every once in a while? And if you do, do you just use dishwashing liquid or some other solution?

Thanks.

[Starlee]

Funny you post this because I was thinking to myself last night that I really needed to clean my ink well! The caked on stuff was starting to chunk onto my nib when I would remove excess ink. I'm thinking we probably should be cleaning our ink well more often.

[Blotbot]

I get the crust inside the rim of the jar of sumi as well.  I think there must be slight leak there and the ink is drying out.  Try using a sheet of plastic between the jar and the lid, as suggested by Andy somewhere.  This is really helping the crust issue.

[Faeleia]

Mine too! I hadn't realized that sumi inks can get like crusty pizzas on the rims. I just wipe them off, but now I'm wondering if the flakes will get stuck in the ink, get picked up by the nib and block the ink flow... There's no way to dissolve sumi right? Since it's waterproof.

[Nickkih]

I clean my inkwells when they are getting crusty. I just pour the ink in another jar and soak the dirty inkwell in some hot water and windex. I do this often with the inks I use often like the sumi and Higgins.

[Brad franklin]

I clean the outside rim carefully not spilling any. And clean the whole lid. Then it won't stick when trying to open. But does not seem to last very long.

[Moya]

I clean mine whenever they are dirty enough to annoy me - or when I want to change the colour! Usually I use the little glass heavy-bottomed jars or the dinky dips or both, so it's super visible when they get crusty.  Also, I love love love coloured gouache, so it seems I'm always washing palettes - so I may as well wash the inkwells too. 

But I hate wasting ink ... so I try to put it off.

But I hate the mess ... so I try to do it more often.

But ...

[SueL]

Thanks for the responses. Nickkih, why Windex? I was thinking of just using some dishwashing liquid. That should work too?

[Nickkih]

Because windex seems to melt away stubborn sumi ink from my hands so when I'm cleaning my ink jars it works better than dish washing liquid I've found.

[SueL]

Thanks Nickkih.

[joi]

i'm a clean freak.  i empty and wipe out my water dish every day.  i regularly wipe out the inside and rim of jar caps, and the neck and lip of the jar.  no crusty the clown ink wells for me.

[Moya]

I use Windex for EVERYTHING calligraphy.  I didn't know about this hidden secret for years, until I started meeting other calligraphers in real life and saw someone cleaning sumi out of luxurious thick carpet with Windex.   It's like magic! My calligraphy space has never been stained again!

[joi]

have you ever seen My Big Fat Greek Wedding?  the father of the bride uses Windex on everything...and every time i see someone mention Windex i think of this hilarious movie!
"hormonees.  yes, inside the lump was my twin".

[Nickkih]

have you ever seen My Big Fat Greek Wedding?  the father of the bride uses Windex on everything...and every time i see someone mention Windex i think of this hilarious movie!
"hormonees.  yes, inside the lump was my twin".

I LOVE that movie and I LOVE windex 😆 by the way im italian and my crazy Italian family resembles the family in that movie. Completely bat crazy but love all of them to death.