If you or someone you know has wooden spoons or spatulas in their household for cooking, you may be aware of how different they are from plastic and stainless steel cooking utensils. However, most people are completely oblivious to the use of wooden utensils. If you are curious about wooden utensils, allow me to fill you in. Wooden utensils have been used in kitchens for centuries, long before plastic and stainless steel utensils came into existence. This type of utensil is meant to be treated with a special type of care, due to the risk of bacteria absorbing into the material. But, don’t let that stop you from using wooden utensils. It has been proven that wooden utensils are safe to use, with the material being natural and renewable. Do keep in mind, though, that taking care of your wooden utensils is the number one priority if you’re using them for cooking or eating. Here are tips on how to properly care for these wooden cooking tools and what you should do if they end up going bad.
Washing them properly is a major aspect to keep in mind.
Since wooden utensils are different from other utensils, there’s a specific way of washing them. In order to keep your utensils clean, use hot water and mild dish soap, like Mrs. Meyers Clean Day liquid dish soap, with a simple hand wash. It’s best that you avoid dishwashing the utensils, as the high water temperatures will dry out the wood and leave cracks. Once you’re done washing them, dry them on a dish towel away from water.
Never soak your wooden utensils.
Now, this one may be tempting, since some of us (me included) hate doing the dishes. However, soaking these bad boys in water will do more harm than good. Soaking them in water for a prolonged period can also cause significant damage to the utensils, which is a similar result to just putting the utensils in the dishwasher.
Use oil as a backup solution.
So, you accidentally put your wooden utensils into the dishwasher without knowing — what now? You may think that the utensils may no longer be in good use, but fear not! If you run into a situation like this, simply use oil to help restore the material. It’s best to use neutral-flavored oils like mineral or linseed for the utensils since they’ll last longer and respond well to it.
Avoid using wooden spoons for certain kitchen activities.
Again, it’ll be tempting to use a wooden spoon for everything when it comes to cooking. You do have to be mindful of how you use it and what you plan to use it with. If you’re cooking something that is heat-conducted, it’s perfectly fine to use them. However, avoid using a wooden spoon for things like raw meat and folding, due to the risk of bacteria getting into the wood.
Clean immediately after each use.
Wooden utensils have proven to easily absorb odors and stains after each use, so always clean them properly and carefully after using them. You can use the hand wash method or other remedies such as baking soda or lemon juice. Whatever it takes to make sure it doesn’t get a funky smell!
If it’s bad, throw it out.
Wooden utensils can go bad for many reasons, such as mold growth or splitting. Whatever the case may be, if your wooden utensils went bad, don’t reuse them or try to fix them. Instead, replace them with new ones to avoid getting sick from it.