How to clean yerba mate?

After using it, the “inconvenience” of mate is how to wash it. The truth is that it is very simple and by following a few steps, you will be able to take care of the health of the pumpkin so that it lasts for years. In addition, we will also leave you the steps to follow to clean and uncover your mate straw.

1- Take out the yerba with a spoon

Many do it with the bulb itself, but this is wrong because it makes the bottom of the bulb even more dirty and can scratch the matte. It is best to use a soup spoon or the one that best suits you.

2- Rinse with warm water

After you’ve removed all the yerba, it’s time to rinse it. Most usually do it with cold water, but it is best to have it warm since it will be absorbed faster. (Linkear a catálogo de termos)

3- In case you do not want to put water

Many do not throw the remains of yerba, but leave it to the mate like that. It is a valid way, but the straw must be washed. In addition, it is necessary at least once a week to wash the pumpkin so that it is clean.

This will help you cure your mate and give it a better flavor.

4- Put a napkin on it

Once it is clean, you should place a paper towel to absorb some of the water and thus not spoil the pumpkin. This step is important and should be repeated every day.

5- Never leave the mouth of the mate down

It is also a common practice but it is very wrong. Why? Because this does not allow the matte walls to breathe and they will surely end up with fungi. 

How to clean the mate straw?

Cleaning the mate straw is as important as the rest of the steps to make a good mate. On some other occasion we mentioned how to do it, but here we will go into detail.

In order to avoid reaching the point where it is already stuck, we leave you some tips for you to follow. 

1- Chose a good yerba mate

Uruguayan herbs tend to have a lot of dust, something that accelerates the bulbs from becoming covered. However, if you like those that have sticks and leaves, your bulb will surely be better for you.

2- Shake the mate well before baiting

What this will do is prevent the dust from accumulating at the bottom and, on the contrary, going up the mountain.

3- Pour a jet of warm water before starting to prime

Wait five minutes and with this you will achieve greater absorption. In addition, this will also prevent the yerba from burning. Some say that a well swollen mate achieves a better flavor.

4- Empty the mate well when you change the yerba

In this way, you can prevent yerba mate from getting caked where the bulb goes. Even for those who do not wash their mate with water and leave traces of yerba, it is advisable to do this.

5- Avoid choosing bulbs with very small holes

This will cause the bulb to have to be uncovered much more often, but if it has larger holes, the yerba will enter and exit more easily.

6- Always choose a good quality straw

Ideally, the material should not be too thin and the bulb should not be too curved. Go to the Cebala catalog and you will see all the different ones we have to offer you.

How to uncover a mate straw?

We’ll tell you some tips in case you tried all, swear you always cleaned your straw well, but it remains stuck and doesn’t let the infusion pass. 

-Bicarbonate: place the bulb in a pot and cover it with water. Add three tablespoons of baking soda and put it on the fire. Let it boil for 15 minutes. You can add a slice of lemon for a deeper cleaning.

-Vinegar: I repeated the same process as with baking soda but this time with vinegar. This will help remove accumulated mud. It is important that in both cases you do not get impatient and you can leave it for the number of minutes that we mentioned.

Then, once you’ve done this, take a cleaning brush and run it through to remove any bits of yerba mate that may have remained. This is vital for a deep clean. In case you don’t have one, you can try giving it a few taps so that everything that may have been left inside comes out.

Now yes, go drink mate with a well-uncovered straw. In case you are alone, we have two invitations to make you continue reading our articles: The best uruguayan yerba mates and mate straws. What is mate porongo and how is it used? 

And the second but not least important invitation: visit the Cebala page to buy the best mates and accessories to enjoy some delicious mates alone with your family.

How do you take sweet mate?

This is a question that many are trying to find answers to, since it is not that common to acquire the practice of doing it regularly. The key is to prepare it well and enjoy the sweetness that everyone wants it to have.

The yerba will be washed almost immediately and you will not have to worry about some details that the ritual of drinking bitter mate has, because in this case it is not necessary to pay attention to the mountain or to turn it over.

Some people tend to give it a more personal touch and flavor it with yerba mate, coffee or ginger. In addition, others add lemon or orange peel. The peculiarity is that all the combinations are valid, but it is necessary to be careful in the three elements that we mentioned before.