The wet cleaning nightmare
Wet cleaning is definitely the part of the process I hate the most. It comes way ahead of working with plaster. Most of the time I don't mind doing it when I get into the rythm, but it can be very frustrating and is certainly not my favourite thing to do.
Soft fired porcelain doll parts are dipped slowly into lukewarm water and allowed to soak for a few minutes. After that they are scrubbed and polished with abrasive sponges (very fine grit) and cleaned of with special brushes. It's very messy as the pieces have to be kept wet and rinsed off often. Sooner or later I am covered in water dripping down onto everything in spite of wearing a waterproof apron. Being damp for a few hours is usually not much fun. I suppose I should be used to it by now living in rainy Ireland, but I still prefer to avoid it.
This is why I decided to try something else. The wet cleaning method is adviced for health reasons (fired clay particles are heavier and less harmful), but there must be a better way to do this! I am determined to either find or invent one. I'll have you posted, and in the meantime keep your fingers crossed as I dive back into the world of wet cleaning!