A wooden spoon is a tool that nearly everyone has in their kitchen. They are useful for many things that other tools can't achieve. You probably love your wooden spoon, but wooden kitchen utensils can be hard to clean. Wood can be hard to disinfect because it is porous. Here's how to easily clean and disinfect your wooden spoon without ruining it.
1. Rinse the spoon immediately
After food preparation is complete, you should rinse any residue off the wooden spoon right away. Letting food sit on a wooden spoon will allow bacteria to grow. The food will also harden, making cleaning even more difficult.
Tip: Don't soak your wooden spoon. Soaking a wooden spoon can make the wood prone to splitting or cracking. It also increases the number of bacteria.
2. Wash the Wooden Spoon
The best way to wash a wooden spoon is by hand. You should use a mild detergent and scrub by hand or with a dish sponge. Studies have shown that it only takes warm water, soap, and a scrubbing motion to kill most kitchen bacteria. Never put your wooden spoon in a dishwasher. This will cause damage to your wooden spoon.
3. Rinse the Wooden Spoon
Be sure to rinse off any remaining soap. If soap dries on the wooden spoon, this could damage to finish on the wood. It will also cause the wood to become brittle. You can rinse with warm or cold water.
4. Dry the Wooden Spoon
- Using a clean towel, dry your wooden spoon promptly. Letting the wooden spoon remain wet for too long will allow the wood to soak up a lot of excess moisture. Dry as much as possible with a towel and let air dry for a few hours.
- Now you know how to clean a wooden spoon. Many people worry that wooden spoons should be disinfected over time or even after just a couple uses. Here are a few ways to disinfect a wooden spoon.
1. Soak in Hydrogen Peroxide
- Hydrogen Peroxide is a great way to disinfect a wooden spoon. It will not harm your wood as many other chemicals will. Put your wooden spoon in a shallow dish and pour the hydrogen peroxide all over it. Rub it into the spoon. It will fizz, but hydrogen peroxide does not lather. Rinse with warm water and dry with a towel.
2. Clean with Vinegar
Vinegar is a natural disinfectant because of its acidity. This makes it a great method for cleaning a wooden spoon because there are no harsh chemicals that will damage the utensil. Fill a spray bottle with equal parts water and vinegar and spray your wooden spoon. No need to rinse.
Tip: This is a fantastic method to clean wood and can be used on wooden-handled knives and wooden cutting boards as well.
Conclusion
By now, you should be an expert on cleaning a wooden spoon. Follow these simple steps to safely clean and disinfect your utensils while preserving the beautiful wood. Caring for your wooden spoon will keep it in your kitchen for years to come.