Wash labu sayong thoroughly with tap water to remove any dust or rice husks. Repeat this step until you are satisfied. Do not use soap or detergent to wash labu sayong, as this can affect the taste of the drinking water later.
Fill labu sayong with clean water and let it soak for one or two days. You can also change the water every two or three days. Discard the soaking water and replace it with new clean water, filtered or boiled. Labu sayong is now ready to be used.
Repeat all those steps above every one or two weeks to ensure labu sayong is clean and the water is safe to drink. Cleaning and replacing the drinking water every one or two weeks is highly advisable.
Traditionally, people used black and brown labu sayong for storing and drinking water. Labu sayong painted in different colours may contain chemicals or have compromised properties, making them unsuitable for water storage.
Labu sayong is naturally brown. A blackening process is applied to achieve its signature black colour. This process involves taking out the labu sayong from the kiln when the firing reaches around 850°C to 900°C and then burying it within a pile of paddy husks.
The brown colour, however, is the natural hue of the clay used to make labu sayong. There’s no blackening process applied, so the colour stays brown, resembling the earthy tone of the clay.
Thank you for reading, and we hope it helps. This guide is made possible by Kraf Hanis Labu Sayong. We extend our gratitude for their time and effort in answering our questions.
