Your mate is cured and in action. Now comes the part that decides how long it lasts: everyday care. The good news is it doesn't take time, just a couple of habits.
1. Empty it as soon as you're done
Scoop the yerba out with a spoon, never with the bombilla (the metal straw): it's a straw, not a shovel. Then rinse the inside with water.
2. Dry it opening facing up
Dry the walls with a paper towel and leave it opening facing up somewhere with airflow, never in the sun. Upside down traps moisture inside, and moisture is mold's best friend.
3. No soap, ever
No dish soap, no chemicals: the pores of calabaza and wood soak them up and the flavor changes for good. Water is all you need. And if your mate has leather, keep it dry: water and soap stain it and ruin it.
4. Watch out for sudden temperature changes
Calabaza is delicate, and a sudden temperature change can crack it. Don't leave it anywhere very hot or very cold.
5. Don't drop it (seriously)
The metal rim of your mate, the virola, can be stainless steel, alpaca (nickel silver) or a mix of both. A dented virola usually can't be fixed.
6. Re-cure it when it asks
If the calabaza seems more porous or is soaking up too much moisture, it's time to cure it again. The signs to catch it early are in Tu Primer Mate (in Spanish).
7. "My bombilla got stained!"
Relax, it's normal. Alpaca and brass can stain from yerba or long contact with water. Clean it with toothpaste or a non-toxic metal polish and it shines again.
Want to go deeper?
Tu Primer Mate (in Spanish) covers deep-cleaning the bombilla, storing your mate so mold doesn't show up, and how often to change the yerba.
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