A cooking utensil that no kitchen is missing because it is simply practical is the wooden spoon (and other wooden cooking utensils). But as practical as it is, it has some disadvantages when it comes to hygiene. However, this does not mean that you should ban the wooden spoon from the kitchen. You just need to give it a little more attention and clean it regularly. We will tell you what you should definitely pay attention to when cleaning the wooden spoon and how you can get rid of discoloration and stains yourself.
Cleaning wooden spoons – This is what regular care should look like
You can clean and even disinfect the dirty spoon in various ways using simple home remedies. We've summarized a few ways you can easily clean your wooden spoon.
Use salt water
You can boil the wooden spoon to clean it. This opens the pores of the wood so that it is cleaned more deeply. However, do not use pure water, but rather boil water and salt. The amount should be enough to cover the spoon. Place the wooden spoon in the water for at least 5 minutes but no longer than 9 minutes and continue cooking. Take it out again and let it dry thoroughly. Only then do you use it again.
A notice:Boiling for too long will ruin the wood, so you shouldn't exceed 9 minutes. If a dilemma does arise, you can save the wooden spoon by lightly sanding, cleaning and re-oiling the surface.
Use baking soda!
Baking powder contains baking soda and this has the ability to penetrate deep into the wood and act against germs there. So it is ideal if you want to clean the wooden spoon and, as you know, in others tooareas of the householdvery useful. To do this, make a solution by heating about 500 ml of water and dissolving the entire packet of baking soda in it. The wooden spoon should then be able to work in this mixture for around four hours.
Can the wooden spoon go in the dishwasher?
Pretty much all the dishes we use usually end up in the dishwasher. No wonder, after all, this not only saves time, but also water. So it's only logical that the wooden spoon can also be included, right?
Unfortunately no, because that would only make the material even more susceptible to germs. The wood swells due to the combination of heat and moisture. However, if you only rinse it by hand, the material is only exposed to the water for a short time and therefore does not have the opportunity to absorb too much of it.
Cleaning wooden spoons: How to specifically get rid of stains, discoloration and odors
Deep cleaning with water and soda
In principle, this method is not too different from that with salt water. However, what is the advantage in this case is that you not only clean the wooden spoon, but also whiten it, since soda has a bleaching effect. In addition, in this case you do not need to boil the spoon either. Simply place it in the solution and let it sit for a day or two (or at least overnight).
Vinegar or lemon water to neutralize odors
Lemon juice can both neutralize rumors and disinfect themand vinegar. Simply mix a solution and leave the wooden utensil in it overnight. If it is very dirty, you can increase the concentration or even use the home remedies without water.
This way you can prevent germs and discoloration
If you are considering buying new wooden spoons because you either need new ones or you could not successfully clean the old wooden spoon, this time you can consider a type of wood that has the property of disinfecting itself. Wood produces tannins that have exactly this effect. This includes, for example, pine wood, but also spruce, larch, maple and beech.
However, you can protect the utensils you have already purchased with a very simple trick: hold the wood under cold water for a short time before use. In this way, you insulate the material, making it more difficult for grease to penetrate. And it is precisely the fats that are the culprits. And since these can no longer stick so well, the odor formation is automatically reduced. Oiling the wood at intervals is also very helpful. Just use vegetable oil for this purpose.
Nothing helps and you wonder whether it might be time to throw away and replace your beloved spoon? Do the test: Boil water, remove it from the heat and place the spoon in it. After about 20 minutes, look at the water. If it is cloudy and greasy, you can give up cleaning the wooden spoon and throw it away.
You can also use all tips forother wooden utensilsuse from the kitchen.
