Generally, no — low-fire ceramics (like cone 06 earthenware used in most paint-your-own pottery studios) are not considered dishwasher safe for long-term use, especially if they’re functional ware like mugs, bowls, or plates. Stoneware is able to go in the dishwasher, microwave, and over.

Why not?

• Low-fire clay bodies are more porous, meaning they can absorb moisture over time, leading to cracking, crazing, or glaze failure

• Dishwasher heat and detergents are harsh and can weaken the bond between the glaze and the clay

• Even if it survives the first few washes, repeated dishwasher cycles will wear it down

However, stoneware IS able to go in the dishwasher as the clay body is fully vitrified (non-porous).

Okay for occasional use?

If it's a decorative piece or lightly used (like a trinket dish or display item), it's usually fine to rinse or handwash. But for frequent use, handwashing is strongly recommended to preserve the piece’s beauty and structure.

For most paint-your-own pottery studios using low-fire earthenware (like cone 06 clay), the answer is generally:
❌ No, it should not go in the microwave. As usual, stoneware is the exception and is able to go in the microwave (and oven!) when properly finished.

🔍 Why not?

• Low-fire pottery is porous and can absorb moisture over time. In the microwave, this moisture turns to steam and may cause cracking or even breakage.

• Metallic glazes or decorations (sometimes found in specialty paints) can spark or damage your microwave.

• Repeated microwave use can also increase the risk of crazing and reduce the integrity of the piece.
  
  

Even if it survives once, it’s not built for repeated microwave exposure.

A dot number is an internal studio labeling system used to group pottery pieces together using small, colored dots of underglaze or glaze — usually placed on the bottom of each piece in a set.

Each "dot number" refers to a specific color code (like #03 for green or #05 for blue), and the number of dots helps identify specific sets even when the same color is used for multiple groups.

🔍 Example:

• Dot #03 x 1 → One green dot (color code #03) on the bottom of each item in the group

• Dot #35 x 2 → Two blue dots (color code #05) on the bottom of each item in that group
  
  

This system:

• Keeps grouped items together through firing, glazing, and packing

• Reduces confusion when pieces look similar or are part of large orders

• Can help identify which tops/bottoms/sets of pieces like boxes, tree votives, or spice shakers go together. 

• Makes studio operations smoother and more organized

Ice creams, and circles, and turtles -- oh my! We have tons of really cool boxes but it's easy to mix and match tops to bottoms that might not belong together. Here's an easy fix for that...Dot Numbers!

Simply give the matching top and bottom rims of the box a matching dot of color where they line up. No more guessing which top goes to which bottom when we're unloading!