Milk Method for Mug Mending

🚨SAFETY FIRST: Use all usual caution when operating a stove, range, or burner. Don't touch hot things. Don't leave the fridge door open (someone may scold you).
I'm Jojo, and I broke my mug! This is about how I use whole milk to seal it back up to continue using it. I would call this a semi-permanent* fix, since it lasts about a year before I have to repair it again.
My mug fell on asphalt and cracked**. I did a lot of research to fix broken ceramic and came upon the milk method. All of the articles and videos I saw about it were for fixing entirely broken plates with mixed success, and none answered if the item was food safe. I still drink out of this mug and haven't got sick*** from it yet i'm unsure if this will work out for you.
*"Temporary" sounds like it's only going to work for a week or so. Most "semi-permanent" hair dyes last less than 6 months, so I think this is a better description.
**This method worked on my cracked mug; no pieces of ceramic broke off. I cannot speak to the effectiveness in that case.
***If you cannot consume whole milk, this may not be suitable for you to drink from. I'm unsure, so drink from it at your own risk.

[@franciscoalvarez4732]

I am glad someone understands the value of your favorite mugs. My wife told me to throw them away and buy new ones. I followed you instead. Thank you!!!

[@jordanbrooker1193]

I'm glad the tutorial worked out for you!

[@yannie9312]

I have a book related mug and my son glued it thinking I wouldn't notice but it leaks. I am so upset.

[@SuburbaniteUrbanite]

we live in a society of 'throw it away and just buy a new one'. We live in a wasteful world

[@SabaBushnaq]

Thats true and things no longer hold any sentimental value to many people.​@SuburbaniteUrbanite

[@9847300768]

Just want to let you know... A random guy in India who broke his mom's fav mug found your video very useful and probably saved him from ass whooping 😊❤️❤️❤️

[@jordanbrooker1193]

I'm glad it worked out for you and your mom!

[@9847300768]

@@jordanbrooker1193 shhhh shhh... She doesn't know yet 😅

[@kimberkimber0]

I am a scenic artist for theater by trade. Casine paints were very common in theatrical paint. The protein in milk is casine in the milk that fills the cracks. By heating the milk, the casine separates and gets absorbed by the ceramic. Casine is used much like animal glue in binding pigment for paint. It is water soluble (eventually and depending on concentration). But it is a good adhesive/binder. I too have a favorite mug that I use for tea and hated to see it develop cracks. I am trying this out. Thank you for this video

[@jordanbrooker1193]

Wow, thank you so much for the science! I'll be sure to mention this comment if I ever do a follow-up video. Good luck with your favorite mug :)

[@tjwash5118]

Great suggestion. Years ago I placed a ceramic plate on a burner to warm it and forgot it was there as I prepared my meal..till I heard it crack. Without knowing if it would even work I it from opposite sides of the crack with pressure hoping that with the heat the plate still had it would re-connect. I was shocked that not only did it work but there was absolutely no evidence in the glaze that there had ever been a crack.

[@jordanbrooker1193]

Amazing! I’ll have to try that sometime.

[@sfd6270]

Was taught this 50 years ago and told to use skim milk because the fat in milk slows down the process. Can also be used to remove crazing in antique tea cups. If you've fixed a white cup, you may want to let it dry/cure for several days. If you use the cup before it's cured, you can get permanent coffee stains.

[@hickey4747]

How do you mean dry cure? Like take it out milk and let dry or leave to sit in left over milk. I have white mug that I will try on.

[@chiyinho7840]

It worked out for my favorite mug. So happy for that. Thank you for your sharing ❤️

[@jordanbrooker1193]

I’m so glad this worked out for you! Enjoy :)

[@theBigA1992]

Me too, on this 64 oz mug I bought on Amazon

[@shawnaselline7467]

My favorite hand painted mug that I've had for 20 years has been, sadly, in the back of the cupboard because it has a hairline crack and leaks...just like yours. I'm really happy to give this a try! Thanks for posting. Your video is charming.

[@jordanbrooker1193]

Let me know how it goes, and read some of the comments to see some tips from others!

[@beautifulharp]

It seems to have worked! I had my coffee in that mug this morning with no leaks! Thank you!

[@sumithran1]

Lol put your fingers in the milk and called it gross. What about your stove love hahaha Anyway thanks for your help.

[@jordanbrooker1193]

haha, I didn't have to touch the stove! Thanks for watching :)

[@alanjantz4127]

she's referring to you being a slob and not cleaning your stove. @@jordanbrooker1193

[@jenniferj897]

This worked for me! Thank you so much! My coffee mug has sentimental value to me because it has a saying on it that me and my Mom say to each other and then we found the mugs and had to buy them!

[@danielrae861]

Thank you Jordan. Your method worked nicely and I can now enjoy my two favourite mugs. You are a champion. Here is a suggestion for you : When you do your annual mug fix, make it a habit to check your car in for an oil change - one year is the longest you want to go before changing oil, every 6 months is ideal. Your cars engine will thank you!

[@jordanschock4266]

Oh my goodness, you're gonna make me cry! I'm so happy that this method worked out for you

[@akalunatam9196]

I poured hot water from the tea kettle into my daughter's pink Vintage Sass For Fox's Sake cup to make her a cup of tea. It immediately cracked and before I knew it hot water was pouring out of the bottom of the cup. I called the company. They were so sassy, no pun intended, and refused to replace or even help me find a replacement for their coffee mug. Vintage sass buyers beware! I had heard about the milk trick and tried it. I used canned milk, and after it had cooled down, I put it in the refrigerator overnight. IT WORKED!

[@beenaplumber8379]

Casein protein is your glue. It's not a food safety issue when used like this as long as it's washed before use. (If it looks clean after washing, if it's stored dry, it's clean and safe.) However, casein glue softens with high temperature (it's a nice strong hot-melt glue), so over time it might fail eventually if you use it for hot beverages. And whole milk might not be best. Casein is water-soluble, and I wouldn't want fats mixed in with my water-soluble glue. It might not make a practical difference, but if a little fat gets between the glue and the ceramic surface, the glue will not stick. I don't know what percent of the surface area this might affect since the fat is in tiny emulsion particles, but I'd suggest using skim milk to be safe. It's got the same casein content without all that fat. (I got a PhD in nutrition 19 years ago, and this is stuff I remember about milk.) Technical issue: In your intro & outro, I'm pretty sure you were speaking into the wrong side of your microphone (or maybe you were using your built-in mic?). It's very quiet (hard to hear on my laptop) and full of room ambience.

[@jordanbrooker1193]

I think I'll try fat-free milk next time my mug needs a refresher, thanks to your suggestion :)

[@MrSonofsonof]

I was thinking, could I just buy pure food-grade casein and use that? I'm thinking of using it to seal unglazed earthenware pots. I have used the milk method to seal a bisque fired unglazed vase, and that has been holding water nicely for over a week. Obviously it helps that you only put pure cold water in a vase.

[@Floofypan]

@@MrSonofsonof Hello! Have you went through with that thought? If so, I would like some feedback on how it went! :) But ah.. you said you would be doing this with earthenware.. so I'm not sure if porcelain and regular ceramic cup/mugs are fine for this..

[@user-gy5ol6gb5b]

Works like magic, unbelievable...and simple.

[@willow2031]

So I bought a coffee cup on eBay for $30. It came packaged and it looked great, upon using it for the first time the next morning it leaked coffee all over me. I noticed there was a hairline crack around the rim of the bottom of the cup, so I complained to the seller and showed them pictures and they sent me a full refund. Then I googled how to fix a hairline fracture in a coffee mug, and came across this video amongst another posts online. So I gave it a try, and it really does work! So far so good I hope it lasts for a while. I wrapped heat tolerant, electrical tape around the outside of the cup where the fracture is and then I immersed it in milk and boiled it for two hours on low. Then I turned it off, covered it and left it for about 12 hours to cool. And then I cleaned it and poured boiling water in it and no leak!

[@kaveh.]

appreciate this so much!:) i got into a car accident the other day while moving and my favourite mug was the only one that broke 🙃 tyvm

[@kieana5]

You have given me hope. Trying this today! Thank you ❤️

[@oscarhammer9917]

Im preparing to fix My Bowl I’ve had for several years now. I will be happy if this works, even if there’s some annual maintenance. If i get even another month out of it, awesome! As far as your dirty stove is concerned, thats totally relatable, as thats how our stove often looks. Thank you for relating your experience snd encouraging the repair of my favorite bowl!

[@oscarhammer9917]

Also, im attempting to fix it with our goat milk. 😅

[@oscarhammer9917]

Also, the other videos I’ve noticed they consider “broken” to mean “shattered” and the milk method is certainly not for THAT! But for a hairline crack from fumbling your favorite ceramic (which the odds are in favor of because more use=more likelihood of dropping it).Ii’m hoping it works, as my bowl is heating on the stovetop as i write!

[@xsez2]

Hey YO !!! This tutorial worked out for me wonderfully !!!! Thanks !

[@jordanbrooker1193]

I'm so glad to hear that! Thanks for trying it out :)

[@r.l.howard8459]

omg this was so thorough and entertaining to watch!!!!! I loved your captions and directions, so helpful!!!!!!!! i'm going to try this today!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@jordanbrooker1193]

Thank you! Let me know if it works out for you :)

[@MDegenerate]

"There's some research or something..." Sounds legit 😆

[@elizabethcooper1264]

I wonder if you could make the seal last longer by putting an epoxy on the outside?

[@bangbangcfp]

Can’t wait to try this. Just need some milk now. 😊

[@TheDarkhorizons80]

First time I've seen your videos, looking to fix a mug handle, I dont think this will work, but I loved your video!

[@jordanbrooker1193]

Thanks! I bet your local hardware stores have some strong adhesive you could use, since the mug handle probably doesn't have to be food-safe.

[@mariehager1555]

I used this method for a mig handle and it is holding together. However have not tried to use the mug yet. I'm afraid it might break again

[@MissMarilynDarling]

there are methods that you can get at hobby stores for clay mixing the clay putting the smeared portion in the crack as best as you can and sticking it in the ovan for a few hours to make it purminant .. and then there is super glue ... and then there is silacone which can be bought online but im not sure what the temperatures are for food grade silacone

[@jordanbrooker1193]

ooh! Thank you for the other ideas. I tried super glue once on one of those kind of plain ceramic mugs, but the glue flaked off into my tea. That's why I didn't use that technique here.

[@yahya8471]

Hey I don'tt know if you've read about it or not but my mom taught me that when using newly bought Ethiopian pottery such as a jebena or a shakla dist, it should always be "secured" with whole milk using a similar method.

[@jordanbrooker1193]

I have not read about it, but that's really cool!

[@yannie9312]

Will this work if my son already glued it? It still leaks out of the cracks.

[@rockitlikeawolf]

That's a very informative video, and you're a very nice lady. Thank you.

[@jordanbrooker1193]

Thank you so much! I hope the video helps you :)

[@shubhangi8375]

Is it for ceramic mugs too

[@theBigA1992]

I bought a 64 oz mug with the gift card my brother gave me for my birthday. It hade a hair crack. I tried it, and couldn't believe that it really works.

[@MCLombardo-wk8wc]

This worked great, thank you!

[@darcyhenderson8377]

That is awesome! I wanna try this.

[@sophisticatedswine7172]

THANK YOU FOR YOUR TUTORIAL. I HAVE SOME PORCELAIN PIECES FROM AN 1820'S FLIGHT BARR DINNER SERVICE THAT WOULD BENEFIT FROM THE MILK SOAK SO I CAN USE THEM ON THE DINNER TABLE .

[@jordanbrooker1193]

Wonderful! I hope it works out well for you :)

[@brianthwaites2397]

nice info I have a stoneware mug I need to repair so I will give this a try it is a rare University of Sheffield Mug or Tankard depending on what you put in it I suppose. Incidentally yours is a beaker rather than a mug as it has no handle. Historically beakers are MUCH older (beaker culture)

[@cleretfernandes5972]

Shud the milk be boiling or just room temp.. and for how long shud it be on the flame ?

[@jordanbrooker1193]

Low temp for 2 hrs, then turn it off and don't touch it until it is cooled

[@2008nathansmom]

Thank you I'm gonna try to save my favorite mug 🍺 💕 💗

[@jordanbrooker1193]

Let us know how it goes!!

[@CeeKayz0rz]

Hmmmmm, I wonder if there's not a way to science this out and develop a more permanent fix using milk and maybe some other natural additives... (un)Fortunately, I just discovered my favorite mug (2014 Death Wish coffee) has a crack in it, and may be the perfect guinea pig! :D Brb, science! Also, thanks for the lead, Ms. Brooker!

[@jordanbrooker1193]

Absolutely! Please let me know how your experiment goes :)

[@lordcooler22]

Love death wish

[@darleendoxey6461]

Thank I will try this. Also what is that filter you placed on top of your mug

[@jordanbrooker1193]

I hope it works out for you! Do you mean the pourover I use to make my coffee? it's called a V60.

[@classicrockonly]

Hmmmmm. I have found a small crack in the handle of my porcelain demitasse cup and hoping maybe I can use this method to patch it up. You can't tell it's there but it's going to annoy me

[@alanjantz4127]

i tried this to a tee, and it worked for 3 days then started leaking again.

[@theforestcanopy]

CAPTAIN BLUEBEAR! I LOVE THAT BOOK

[@jordanbrooker1193]

It’s probably my number 1 favorite book! I recommend it to everyone I meet :)

[@secondjoshua]

I liked the video but the method didn’t work for me, tried twice, second time longer than the first. Let it cool down to room temp and everything, the only thing I did different was use 2% milk which I felt ok with since several other videos did not specify what kind of milk to use.

[@jordanbrooker1193]

I think the full fat milk might make a difference! I don't really know what they do to reduce the fat in milk, but I imagine the fat has some of the properties that make the binding process work. I personally don't drink milk, so I understand the hesitance in buying milk that you don't think you'll use.

[@jessicaakers2994]

loved it you funny 😄

[@GAScan8311]

Cool!

[@MrSonofsonof]

I wonder if making nice strong tea and leaving it to sit in the mug for a couple of days might help the process. The tanin will fix the casein so it doesn't wash off so easily. There's a video about it here kzbin.info/www/bejne/mJWsmYWvhLOMhpY You made this video 18 months ago. Is the cup still OK or has it started leaking again?

[@jordanbrooker1193]

Oooh, what a lovely idea! I think I might try that the next time it starts leaking. The mug did exhibit a leak about a year after I made this video. I just popped it back on the stove with some milk for maintenance. I'm okay with repeating this process once a year if it means I can still use my favorite mug!

[@MaheshWalatara]

Wouldn't it be easier to buy a new mug? Ten bucks.

[@vinsonparkhill752]

Your eyebrows are stunning and gorgeous.

[@nehatiwari1111]

What to do with milk ?Throw away

[@jordanbrooker1193]

Yes, I think the milk goes bad after you use it like this. It is one of the caveats to the method that you have to use a lot of milk and it doesn't look like it is getting used.

[@jackclark8856]

Waste of time and milk. Tried this and the first time I put hot water in the mug it cracked again

[@jordanbrooker1193]

Oh, I'm so sorry to hear it didn't work out for you!

[@MattersNot]

It’s about to fall apart

[@freespirit8041]

Maybe super glue would work better

[@fjkingston]

What about soy milk?

[@jordanbrooker1193]

I don't know the properties of soy milk, and I don't really know the properties of cow milk either. However, I would expect different results since they have different chemical make ups. Give it a shot! Tell us what happens!

[@KitaruTC]

From what I understand, this trick relies on casein, a protein present in animal milk. Casein is not found in soy milk or other alternatives, so I think they would be unsuitable.

[@fjkingston]

@@KitaruTC Thank you for clarifying.

[@KitaruTC]

Sure thing, no problem. :)

[@KelsieMcA]

​@@KitaruTC Plastic-like buttons used to be made of casein. This is also a traditional method suitable for a traditional mug.

[@davidbreden3325]

Hmmm, didnt want to wash up the rest eh? lol

[@jordanbrooker1193]

haha! you caught me. I'm not very good at keeping a tidy kitchen 😛

[@790CoolCat]

This is a video about how to fix a cracked mug not housecleaning

[@johnwhitaker545]

Why don’t you just fix it with super glue?

[@jordanbrooker1193]

In my experience, super glue doesn't necessarily adhere well to the vitreous surface of the mug. But you are welcome to try that instead!

[@johnwhitaker545]

@@jordanbrooker1193 I have with great success on a couple of them. One where the handle broke off taking a chunk of the mug with it that left a quarter sized hole. I cleaned the surfaces with alcohol first and the repair has lasted over 10 years. And I put it in the dishwasher every time.

[@jordanbrooker1193]

@@johnwhitaker545 Ah, this is not for that kind of repair; this milk method is for a leaking hairline crack, where you can't necessarily squeeze a paste or glue into the crack.

[@johnwhitaker545]

@@jordanbrooker1193 ohh I see now. Thank you for explaining that. I probably missed it in the video. Sorry about that. I’ll have remember this remember this for next time 🙂

[@shanehenderson109]

another tip clean your stove top before making videos......

[@aleksandrstovba8823]

Great video, thank you for the information. But please, pretty please, wash your poor stove. Or at the very least, take the spaghetti off of it. :( Just made me cringe when I was watching the video. : ))

[@ems9097]

the ocd in me cant stand how messy her kitchen sink is

[@nintendy]

That's her business - she was wanting to share a great idea for people who want to repair something that means a lot to them, which I think was nice of her and more important! :-)

[@jordanbrooker1193]

haha, yeah, I really hate doing dishes 😛 I know I should have cleaned more before recording, but it was too late by the time I started the process!

[@sayhitoyutub]

to much text

[@derrylbaumer3294]

Girl forget the mug and clean that disgusting kitchen!

[@MrCounterIntuitive]

Your mug is a vase ;)

[@jordanbrooker1193]

It could be, now that it holds water again!

[@davea5150]

Your stove looks discusting. Take care of that. Then the video.

[@jordanbrooker1193]

haha, yeah, but too late now 😜

[@3_Cats_Pottery]

My god, you talk about the skin of the milk being gross, testing the milk temperature with your fingers as being gross........... what in the world about your stove top???

[@uhbyoihbloiybloihybolgiyh]

Too bad there WASNT A DISLIKE BAR TO LET US KNOW IF THIS IS BULLSHIT OR NOT!!! F KZbin URGH!!!!

[@lass-inangeles7564]

FYI - Semi permanent hair color has a lot of lead in it, which absorbs through the scalp directly into your brain. Don't use it. If you want a temp sheen - use fresh Henna from an Indian store, mix with black coffee, leave on hair 3 hrs for a reddish glow in sunlight, and deep conditioning. Or use Satin hair color with 10% developer for a 'permanent' color which fades in sunlight, leaving nice frosted look. With regard to your laborious method, this is not a fix, its a joke. By heating it, you enlarged the existing crack. If little pieces of ceramic or glass (glaze) chip off and you drink it, it will perforate your stomach and you die. Painfully. Never mind your mother, you do in fact have bacterial growth where the milk solids deposited, your mug is half functional, and you risk your life. If you use super glue, you may get toxic chemicals released with hot brews. Best thing to do is to mend it with clear epoxy glue, then using a masonry drill, drill a small hole in the bottom, and use it as a planter on your desk. Or get a plastic plant from IKEA and stick it in your mug. There is one other permanent method - reglaze it and re-fire it in a studio kiln. Make sure that you put a thick glaze over the crack both sides. Now it is fully mended,

[@jordanbrooker1193]

hmm, I don't see what hair color has to do with it, but thank you for the advice anyway! It's put over very low heat, so if the crack enlarges it will be by just enough to allow the casein to permeate it. This is a tutorial to make the mug useable again for drinking, and it hasn't given me any problems over the few years that I've been using this method. I agree that reglazing the mug would have been the ideal way of fixing it, but for those who don’t have an option to reglaze it, this method works nicely.

[@lass-inangeles7564]

@@jordanbrooker1193 There was a mention of semi permanent hair color in the video. Passing on a warning about it.