How to Recycle Ceramic Clay Using the Bucket Method

Find at least four, 5 gallon (18.9 L) buckets. (Ask the maintenance crew at your school.)

Line the buckets with heavy-duty 32 gallon (121.1 L) garbage bags. (Otherwise, it takes a long time to scrape the clay out of the bucket.)

Fill the bucket with bone dry clay. (Leave the lid off.)

Pour water over the bone dry clay, completely submerging it.

Let the bone dry clay sit underwater until it turns to mush (3-6 days). Jab and stir it daily as it is submerged.

Drain the excess water off the top.

Poke several shaft holes into the bucket of clay using a 1.5" closet hanger rod. -This opens the clay for drying,

Poke additional shaft holes daily, until the clay loses its stickiness.

Slide the clay out of the bucket and dice it up with fishing line.

Have students wedge the diced clay.

Store it in a bucket with a lid.