Keep wooden utensils pristine by avoiding these mistakes and following the right cleaning procedures
Wooden kitchen utensils are super-handy and include spoons, ladles cutting boards, cutlery and salad bowls. Resistant to heat (to a point), easy to use, wooden utensils are also eco-friendly when we have to get rid of them.
That said, prolonged contact with humidity, makes these utensils fertile ground for the proliferation of mold, germs and bacteria. Further, being porous, wooden utensils can absorb chemicals which are used to clean them.
So how do we take care of our wooden utensils properly? Well, check out the tips below:
Correct maintenance from the start
Before using your wooden utensils for the first time, you should rinse them with hot water and dry them off immediately with a damp cloth. Allow them to then air-dry in the upright position.
Oiling your wooden utensils before use will help prolong their life and protect them from humidity and absorbing odors; choose sunflower oil for this, as olive oil will turn rancid. Use linseed oil for utensils with shiny surfaces. Simply apply a few drops of the relevant oil on a sponge and rub all over the utensil.
This process should be repeated several times, especially in the first few months of use and whenever you notice that your utensil is starting to lose its color.
Correct cleaning of wooden utensils
Do not wash your wooden utensils in the dishwasher and do not allow them to soak in water (or other liquids) as this will create the conditions for mold and bacteria to develop. Further, do not to leave them laying around dirty for too long as this will cause them to absorb food odors. For the same reason, avoid using chemical detergents on them which could be absorbed by the wood.
To correctly wash and clean your wooden utensils, you can use a few drops of Marseille soap rubbed over their surfaces with a sponge. Once done, rinse off with hot water and dry immediately with a cloth to remove excess humidity. Air-dry thoroughly, stood up vertically.
A very useful remedy for washing and disinfecting your utensils is vinegar, which you can apply directly to the surfaces by rubbing it on with a damp sponge. Leave the vinegar to act for a few minutes then rinse off with hot water and dry as described above.
If you need to remove food residue - especially on wooden cutting boards - sprinkle a little rock salt on the surfaces and rub this in using half a lemon.
What about unpleasant smells? The best remedy for this is baking soda, which you can mix with a little water to form a paste to rub over your utensils. Leave this paste on for about an hour before rinsing off with hot water and drying.
Using these methods, your wooden utensils will last a lot longer!