Chemistry Type Question

[old_cold]

A vintage glazed pottery salt shaker, unused but with salt still in it for several years.
I emptied, rinsed several times with water.
Unbeknownst to me, some of the salt crusted inside.
This I discovered after a few days of having a crust of salt keep appearing on the outside of the shaker.
After the third time, I reached inside and felt this crust.
???????
Has this ruined the shaker from futher use?

[westminster88]

Further use for what? Salt?

I would just use a small toothpick or something plus hot water to get the last bits of salt out if that's important.

[old_cold]

I'm wondering about the process of the salt leaching through the pottery

[westminster88]

Oh you mean the crust is now forming on the outside of the shaker from the salt that's inside the shaker?

[old_cold]

Originally Posted by westminster88

Oh you mean the crust is now forming on the outside of the shaker from the salt that's inside the shaker?

yes

[elnina]

Does that salt shaker have a metal top? Is the crust forming on that metal part?
Or is that all pottery shaker?
Could you posts picture?

[mshultz]

Just soak it in hot water until all of the salt has dissolved, maybe a day or 2. Test the salt shaker for lead before using it again. They used to use lead glaze way back when.

[EDS_]

Originally Posted by old_cold

A vintage glazed pottery salt shaker, unused but with salt still in it for several years.
I emptied, rinsed several times with water.
Unbeknownst to me, some of the salt crusted inside.
This I discovered after a few days of having a crust of salt keep appearing on the outside of the shaker.
After the third time, I reached inside and felt this crust.
???????
Has this ruined the shaker from futher use?

Pottery of all sorts is often very porous. Brine like water wicking through after washing the thing makes sense to me.

The Romans buried unglazed clay pots to water plant roots. Today we call them Ollas.

At some risk of damaging the glazing. I'd probably keep washing the thing until all the salt is gone. And then let it dry in the air for several days.

The lead angle mentioned is a good point. If the glaze is shiny it probably has high lead content if not it may still have high lead content.

At least keep kids aways from it.