How to Clean Wooden Spoons & Utensils

Wooden spoons are cookware made from hardwoods like beech, maple, or walnut, primarily used for cooking, stirring, mixing, and serving food. A wooden spoon is a long-handled, bowl-shaped tool with a scoop or end, varying in size and shape depending on its intended use or purpose.

Wooden spoons require soft care to maintain their natural beauty and prevent damage, unlike metal utensils, which require regular cleaning for longevity and kitchen hygiene. Hand washing wood with mild soap and warm water is recommended, but avoid dishwasher cycles that warp wood.

How to Clean Wooden Spoons Effectively

The cleaning process for wooden spoon set should be simple and efficient to ensure cleanliness, hygiene, longevity, and good condition. This blog offers a comprehensive guide on how to effectively clean and handle wooden spoons, ensuring their long-term reliability and longevity in your kitchen.

1. Immediate Cleaning: To clean wooden spoons, rinse them gently with warm water after use to remove food particles and maintain their odor-absorbing and stain-absorbing properties.
2. Washing: use mild dish soap, avoid strong detergents, and gently scrub with a sponge or cloth, avoiding prolonged water soaking to prevent warping or cracking.
3. Drying: To prevent mold and mildew growth, immediately towel-dry the wooden spoon after washing. Avoid air-drying, as it can cause warping or cracking.

Other Ways to Clean Wooden Spoons

• Oil Occasionally: To prevent wood cracking and drying, regularly oil wooden spoons with food-safe mineral oil, coconut oil, or wood utensil oil. Apply a small amount with a cloth, let it soak for hours or overnight, then wipe off excess oil.
• Baking Soda: Create a paste by mixing baking soda and water, apply it to stains, let it sit, scrub with a sponge or cloth, rinse with water, and dry to restore shine.
• Hydrogen Peroxide: Wooden utensils have antibacterial properties, but deeper cleansing is needed. Soak spoons or other utensils in hydrogen peroxide. Mix hydrogen peroxide and water in a bowl, dip a cloth or sponge in the solution, lightly scrub a wooden spoon, wash it with warm water, and dry it promptly.
• White Vinegar Solution: Mix white vinegar and water in a bowl for sanitization and deodorization. Wet the solution, wring it out, wipe down the wooden spoon, and rinse it with clean water.
• Salt and Lemon: coarsely sprinkle salt onto a wooden spoon, then cut a lemon in half and rub the salt into the spoon, squeezing it as you grind. Rinse and dry immediately.

Maintenance Tips

• Avoid Dishwashers: Wooden spoons should not be put in a dishwasher due to the high temperature, detergent, and hard water that may cause warping or cracking of the handle and loss of finish on the spoon.
• Store Properly: Store wooden spoons in a well-ventilated, cool place away from heat or moisture, either in a holder or hanging, allowing air to circulate around them.
• Inspect Regularly: Regularly inspect wooden spoons for cracks or splinters, and if they are beyond repair, discard them to prevent contamination and ensure proper disposal.

What Oil Should I Use on Wooden Spoons?

The right oil is used to nourish wooden spoons, providing moisture protection and enhancing their beauty. Regularly lubricating wooden utensils with food-grade oils ensures longevity, prevents cracking, and ensures safety during food preparation while avoiding vegetable and rancid cooking oils.

• Mineral Oil: A popular choice for its moisturizing and protective properties, it is easily accessible in drugstores and online and is labeled as a food-grade mineral oil for wooden spoon cleaning.
• Coconut oil: also known as liquid coconut oil, is a versatile and non-toxic alternative to mineral oil, providing similar benefits to wooden spoons.
• Walnut Oil: Walnut oil is a natural, food-safe oil suitable for wooden utensils with a pleasant, nutty aroma and may require frequent reapplying compared to mineral or fractionated coconut oil.
• Wood Utensil Oil: also known as cutting board or butcher block oil, is a specially designed oil for protecting and maintaining wooden kitchen utensils and boards that come into contact with food during preparation.

Conclusion

Wooden spoons are renowned for their heat resistance, toughness, and non-scraping properties, making them a valuable and enduring kitchen tool across various cultures. Drying well after washing prevents water from soaking in. Regularly treating wooden spoons with mineral oil or beeswax helps lubricate the wood and leave it smooth, ensuring proper washing and care for them and making them a long-lasting utensil for cooking adventures.