Chucking wooden spoons into the dishwasher or the sink for a quick scrub just doesn’t cut it – this is what you must do instead.
The idea of cleaning wooden spoons used in food cooking is not something we think a lot about – they are simply rinsed off or tossed into the dishwasher. But the grim reality is food residue can remain on the kitchen utensils for longer than we think.
Some life-changing cleaning hacks emerge regularly on social media but wooden spoons are not often prioritised in people’s cleaning regimes. But now one TikTok trend suggests wooden utensils should be plunged into boiling water clean them properly. TikTok users @itsnicolejaques and @jessicahaizman suggested the method as a means of sucking out dirt, grime, and grease from food which can’t be shifted. It means your wooden spoons, which are constantly in use in the kitchen may be in need of a deeper clean.
Videos show clear water turning brown as the wooden utensils languish in boiling water. The colour of the water is off-putting, but satisfying too. Wooden items should not be put in the dishwasher as their heat can warp the wood. The pressurised water means yiur wooden spoons will eventually fall apart more quickly. But if hot temperatures harm wood, why is there a suggestion to dip spoons in boiling water? This will help remove the grime, cooking stains in the grain of your spoons, but it will also damage the utensils.
You can purify anything by covering it in boiling water but Better Homes & Gardens says “repeatedly boiling your spoons or boiling them too often can strip the wood or warp it in some way” It says you should not overdo it unless you’re OK buying replacements. Boiling wooden spoons is only recommended once a month, depending on whether they are used to stir raw meet or just vegetarian dishes. Experts recommend hand-washing your wooden spoons with soap and warm water because chemical soaps can break down the structure of the spoon. They should then be allowed to air dry.
Wood soaks up more when spoons have been used for a while. And wooden utensils often smell of onion as the material has absorbed their strong odour. Better Homes & Gardens says: “While boiling water allows some of that gunk to come out during the soak, you should stick to the warm water and gentle soap method for everyday cleaning. If you prefer to still boil them, do it infrequently to extend the life of your spoons.”
Other people have a different method for protecting their their wooden utensils and cutting boards. A well-known trick is to condition them with oil which keeps them looking pristine and clean for many years. Wood conditioning oil can help prevent cracks in your spoons and also stops the wood splitting over a longer period of time.
The Mirror reported earlier about another woman who explained that all you have to do to see how dirty your spoon really is, is soak it in a bowl of boiling water for around 20 minutes.
