Finally got my sourdough starter to work after I stopped washing my jars with soap

2 comments

2 Comments

Went through three ruined starters before someone told me not to use soap. Felt pretty dumb standing there scrubbing my jars like a maniac. My first successful loaf came out looking like a deflated football but I ate it with zero shame. Now I just rinse my jars with hot water and hope for the best.

joelthomas1mo ago

That "rinsing with hot water and hope" approach is pretty much all you need once you've got a good colony going. I do a quick scrape and rinse right after I pour out discard, keeps the jar clean without stripping all the good bacteria. A stiff silicone spatula is your best friend here, gets the dried crust off without scratching the glass.