Caring for your Gourd

After Each Use

• It is recommended that you discard the used yerba mate in order to allow the gourd to dry.
• Humid climates (optional): It may help to put a paper towel or napkin in the gourd after you use it. This will help absorb the moisture that may remain. This will become less important as the gourd is used/dried more often. It will tighten up and become more resistent to absorbing water.

Cracks

• Wood may crack around the lip of the gourd if the wood gourd is not used regularly. Rubbing Olive Oil on your wood gourd can contribute to making a wood gourd last forever. If you think your wood gourd is looking very dry, then do not be afraid to treat it to some Olive Oil.
  

Cleaning (when needed)

Gourds do not usually need more than to be rinsed, then dried. Still, should your gourd be left with wet Yerba Mate in it for a few days, then it may develop too much of the healthy mold that naturally occurs in the gourd. Often this happens during the curing process. Do not be alarmed, the gourd can be easily cleaned.  The native yerba mate drinkers point out that the remains will discolor the gourd, but not make the gourd unusable. Indeed, studies suggest that some of the benefits of yerba mate (specifically the reparation of the heart muscle) may be imparted by the unique mold that the yerba mate and the gourd combine to create.

• NEVER USE SOAP. 
• NEVER USE DETERGENT.
• Simply Pour boiling water in gourd, then rinse.