Mate news

It is essential to take into account the material of the container: whether it is made of metal, gourd, glass, silicone and/or wood. Each one requires special care and attention to make them last longer and prevent fungus and dirt from growing.

To clean gourd or wooden mates

If the mate is made of gourd or wood, after drinking mate it is necessary to wash it with hot water and dry it with kitchen paper, to absorb the humidity well. A clean tea towel can also be used. All this is done to prevent fungus from growing.

Letting it rest upside-down is a common mistake which may result in humidity accumulation in the mate. It should always be upright and the driest possible.

Cleaning glass, ceramic, silicone and metal mates

It is far easier to keep them clean because they are made from materials that do not absorb water’s moisture. Not having pores, such as wood or gourd, is an advantage because strange particles do not attach to them.

If the mate is made from glass or ceramic, you should wait until it is cool to clean it so that it does not break. Once cool, wash it with running water.

Mates made from gourd or wood: What to do if the mate has fungus or humidity?

When either black or white stains appear, we recommend you fill the mate with very hot water and let it rest for some minutes. Then, it must be emptied and with a small spoon and a lot of patience, you should scrape it to remove all the humidity, mould and blackened parts.
Once the humidity layer is removed, rinse it well and dry it.
In case you want to continue using the gourd, it should be cured again, as long as it has not been left unused for more than a week and the container is black inside.

How to clean the mate in order to remove the yerba mate?

Once the mates lose their flavour, it is time to change the yerba mate.

To clean the mate we can use the bombilla as a spoon. However, it is advisable that the bombilla is firm at the base (where the filter is) so it does not break. You can also use another utensil to remove all the yerba mate we no longer want to use.

The gourds with a wide base are easier to clean because no yerba mate gets into the nooks and crannies.