The tartrate is most frequently employed, since it is prepared in large quantities (as a sediment from wine) for medicinal use under the name of cream of tartar. When ignited without access of air, it leaves a mixture of charcoal and potassium carbonate. The charcoal so obtained being in a finely-divided condition, the mixture (called ‘black flux’), is sometimes used for reducing metals from their oxides with the aid of heat. A certain quantity of nitre is added to burn the charcoal formed by heating the cream of tartar. Potassium carbonate thus prepared is further purified by converting it into the acid salt, by passing a current of carbonic anhydride through a strong solution. KHCO₃ is then formed, which is less soluble than the normal salt (as is also the case with the corresponding sodium salts), and therefore crystals of the acid salt separate from the solution on cooling. When ignited, they part with their water and carbonic anhydride, and pure potassium carbonate remains behind. The physical properties of potassium carbonate distinguish it sufficiently from sodium carbonate; it is obtained from solutions as a powdery white mass, having an alkaline taste and reaction, and, as a rule, shows only traces of crystallisation. It also attracts the moisture of the air with great energy.

The crystals do not contain water, but absorb it from the air, deliquescing into a saturated solution. It melts at a red heat (1045°), and at a still higher temperature is even converted into vapour, as has been observed at glass works where it is employed. It is very soluble. At the ordinary temperature, water dissolves an equal weight of the salt. Crystals containing two equivalents of water separate from such a saturated solution when strongly cooled (Morel obtained K₂CO₃3H₂O in well-formed crystals at +10°). There is no necessity to describe its reactions, because they are all analogous to those of sodium carbonate. When manufactured sodium carbonate was but little known, the consumption of potassium carbonate was very considerable, and even now washing soda is frequently replaced for household purposes by ‘lye’—i.e. an aqueous solution obtained from ashes. It contains potassium carbonate, which acts like the sodium salt in washing tissues, linen, &c. A mixture of potassium and sodium carbonates fuses with much greater ease than the separate salts, and a mixture of their solutions gives well-crystallised salts—for instance (Marguerite's salt), K₂CO₃,6H₂O,2Na₂CO₃,6H₂O.