# Need some help purifying clay...



## Corbul (Aug 18, 2016)

Ok, so I've dug up some clay for a project I wanna do.
At first, I wanted to follow some instructables I found on youtube's expertvillage channel (link below), but while I was letting the clay dry out in the sun, I found practicalprimitive.com, which offers a simpler, and - as they claim - better way of purifying dug-up clay.
So I took the clay, put it in a jar, filled it with water and broke down the clumps, then I stirred, and let it settle. Here's what I ended up with (yes, I know I didn't remove all the roots and branches as shown on the site).
My problems are: 


English is not my native language, and I can't exactly understand from the site, what to keep, and what to pour out;
They only tell you how to separate sand from clay, but not soil;
I can't really see a definite line between the sand and the clay (and the clay and soil seem to be stirred together).
So any clarifications and advice would be greatly welcome.
Thanks!

Expertvillage's videos -


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## ArtByCalistaP (Sep 24, 2016)

Hello,
I´ll try and write this so you can understand easily. 

1. Get all the lumps out of your soil first. Stir. After a few mins. You should see the clay water mix FLOAT to the top of your container. When the color separates you should see the roots and soil at the bottom. Pour off the clay water and when you see the roots STOP. 

2. When the clay settles the water should be CLEAR. Pour off the water,then let it sit OVERNIGHT. Pour clay into a cloth and let DRY 2-3 DAYS. Water should NOT feel grainy as it drips. 

3. If you can´t see clay clearly maybe you need more clay in your sample batch. Repeat step 1 as often as needed. 

The video is not the same process. That is for an industrial mix you get from home improvement stores. 

Hope that helps.


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## Steve Neul (Jul 28, 2020)

I've never worked with clay before. If it's a dry mixture you add water to, wouldn't it help to sift the clay through a screen wire or mesh to remove lumps and impurities before adding water?


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