Hard water stains in Bonsai pot

[galway1ca]

Any ideas on how to clean up this nice pot? I believe it's just hard water stains. Vinegar perhaps? Also, what value would a pot like this have?

 

[HENDO]

I can't see much staining in the pictures but if you want to remove, check out Sandflex blocks they work great. They will remove patina however.

 

[Deep Sea Diver]

Given there are stains, try white vinegar and a medium to hard toothbrush.

Would be careful with this treatment on a quality pot… perhaps soak and use a softer brush.

Best
DSD sends

 

[River's Edge]

Any ideas on how to clean up this nice pot? I believe it's just hard water stains. Vinegar perhaps? Also, what value would a pot like this have?

The pot would appear to be a relatively modern production ware with the marking as indicated. The holes for drainage are very small for Bonsai purposes and with the chips around the edges of the holes appear to have been drilled later, or the ceramic is such that it has chipped easily when wire was inserted. Could actually be repurposed kitchen ware. Difficult to say based on the pictures.
The staining you are referring to is inside on the bottom of the container, right.

 

[czaczaja]

Are you referring to the staining inside? The brown colour would make me lean more towards a fertilizer stains. If its just on the inside, I wouldn't even worry about it, it will be covered up anyway

 

[Srt8madness]

Put a plant in it - problem solved

 

[rockm]

Any ideas on how to clean up this nice pot? I believe it's just hard water stains. Vinegar perhaps? Also, what value would a pot like this have?

The pot itself is likely a 1970's or later work made for export judging from the "made in" stamp. Pots like this are not all that valuable and are pretty common. The holes look to me from the photos like they've been drilled after the pot was made. They're really too small to be effective for bonsai.

Hard water and fertilizer stains can be very difficult to remove completely. A soak in vinegar or CLR solution can get rid of some of it, but that can be a iffy proposition. I've found that burying a pot in wood compost and dirt for a year or so can do a better job. The microbes in the soil and acidic environment there can dissolve them.

The brownish stain on the bottom looks to have been applied, possibly when the holes were drilled...