How to care for your matcha whisk is essential and easy, just follow these steps every time you use it, and your matcha whisk will last longer.
A matcha whisk is an actual piece of art, good quality ones, are hand made with as many as 74-78 prongs and are carved from a single piece of bamboo.
Bamboo is very delicate and should be looked after properly. Otherwise, it can break or grow mold easily.
Taking care for your matcha whisk will be quick, just make sure you follow these easy steps when you are ready to use it:
1. When you open your bamboo chasen matcha whisk, take it out of the container and do not put it back in there. The only reason why your bamboo matcha whisk comes in it is to protect is delicate prongs from breaking before you use it.
2. The first time you use your chasen matcha whisk, the prongs will be held together in the middle in the shape of a knot - yes, even that is beautiful in the art of making matcha. Just run your chasen under warm water, but never do it after the black string, or soak it in a small container. You will see that the knot opens beautifully, although it will fully open as you use it. It is almost like seeing a flower blossoming when the chasen starts to let go of its middle knot.
3. Every time you prepare matcha tea with the matcha whisk, run your matcha whisk under warm water for a few seconds before using it - or soak it - otherwise, the prongs will break if you whisk your matcha tea with cold prongs, as they are stiff, and the bamboo will start to break apart quickly. So, this is one of the things that are most important to care for your matcha whisk properly.
4. When whisking your matcha green tea, do it softly, and never push your chasen matcha whisk too hard against your chawan matcha bowl. As this will start breaking the bamboo prongs of your whisk. So, always lift your bamboo whisk, and whisk rapidly but gently. To learn how to prepare matcha you can read this.
5. How to clean your matcha whisk? Always rinse your bamboo matcha whisk with warm water before storing it. Either by running it underwater or by soaking it.
6. Place your bamboo matcha whisk on top of the whisk holder (kusenaoshi), this is the perfect accessory, as it will allow for your whisk to fully air dry and it will avoid your bamboo whisk from growing mold. A whisk holder, also helps your matcha whisk to retain its perfect shape, so we strongly recommend to use one. If you do not have one, just let it air dry as much as you can, and do not put it back in its original container.
7. When you see that your bamboo matcha whisk starts to shrink, and loose prongs, it is time to replace it.