Last Updated on May 2, 2022 by Share My Kitchen
Reminder: Not all kitchen items can be washed with water, or put in the dishwasher. This is especially true for wooden utensils.
Cleaning them is easy and doesn’t require any special tools. However, they do not need to be scrubbed. This will help your wooden utensils to last much longer.
Cleaning Wooden Utensils
House Digest states that wooden utensils may last approximately five years before needing to be replaced. However, their longevity depends on how well they are cared for.
The men’s lifestyle website, The Manual, points out, the worst thing that you can do with your wooden spoons is to put them in the dishwasher. This is due to the fact that prolonged exposure to warm water and dishwashing chemicals can cause wood to crack or warp.
Can you let wooden utensils soak?
Instead, The Manual recommends washing your wooden utensils in hot water and mild soap immediately after use. It is also important to not allow them to soak in water.
Otherwise, water droplets trapped within the wood will not dry completely, and can cause wood to warp or crack over time.
What happens when you soak wooden utensils?
Additionally, food particles can get trapped in the grain of wood when the utensils are soaked. This can encourage bacteria growth, and the wood to fall apart.
Air drying is also the best method of drying them.
Level Up the Way You Take Care of Your Wooden Utensils
These are just a few of the basic “how-to” for washing wooden utensils. However, there are many more steps that can be taken to extend their lifespan.
First, it is recommended to rub your wooden utensils with mineral oil every month.
The wood absorbs the food-safe oils rapidly, which helps the utensils repel water better and maintain their vibrancy even after prolonged use.
It is also recommended to use beeswax compounds to perform a similar task.
Furthermore, you can also use sandpaper to quickly smoothen any splintering on your wooden items.
It is also suggested to clean them with baking soda and lemon juice if you find that certain foods leave stains on your tools that are too heavy to be cleaned with soap or water.
Lemon and baking soda are two common cleaning agents that can be used to clean wooden utensils and other things.
Lemon can be used, for example, to shine your sink, and help melt any splatter marks off your microwave.
It is also known that baking powder can be used to clean any item, from your mattress to your kitchen sink.