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Eating prawn paella straight from the pan. Gently stirring a roux for a hearty lasagne. Mixing up blueberry porridge for my toddler. Some of my best memories revolve around wooden spoons. These traditional kitchen tools are a boon for home cooks, and they look good, too. (A big wooden salad bowl with a matching serving spoon and fork set passed around a table with people you adore? Nothing better.)
Home cooks and pros alike appreciate wooden tools for their versatility: They’re safe for nonstick cookware, durable enough for cast iron and stainless steel, and won’t impart flavour like stainless steel counterparts can with acidic foods. Plus, wooden kitchen tools can last for decades—so long as you take care of them properly.
If you’re anything like me, you’re probably also unclear on how exactly to wash wooden spoons, forks, spatulas, bowls, and cutting boards. That’s why I tapped the Good Housekeeping Institute Kitchen & Cooking Lab Senior Director Nicole Papantoniou for her cleaning and maintenance tips so they can last longer in your kitchen.
How to clean your wooden kitchen tools
First things first, keep wooden tools, cutting boards, and bowls out of the dishwasher. The combination of prolonged moisture and high heat can cause wood to swell, warp, crack, or dry out, says Papantoniou.
Instead, hand-wash wooden tools with a small amount of mild washing-up liquid and warm water. Do not let the items soak in water, which can warp the wood. After you're done washing your items, let them dry fully to avoid moulding, stresses Papantoniou. 'Not only could this discolour the wood, but it could get into your food as well,' she adds.
The right way to oil your wooden kitchen tools
Oiling your wooden tools when they start to look dry or splintery can help extend their life. A thin layer of food-safe oil prevents the wood from drying out, which can lead to cracks, splintering, and that funky warped edge on your cutting board that means it’s time to bid it adieu.
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Wait until the item is clean and completely dry, then apply a thin, even layer of food-safe oil. Food-safe mineral oil (which is made from petroleum) is your best bet, but other options on the market include tung oil, walnut oil, and mineral oil blended with beeswax. Papantoniou says to apply a small, even amount of oil to moisturise the wood and prevent it from looking dull.
Our favourite wooden cooking tools
Ruffoni’s Olivewood Utensils are our top pick. Featuring a unique assortment of tools including a flat-edged spatula, slotted spatula, and pasta fork, Papantoniou notes that 'they haven't worn down or discoloured over time”' after years of use. Made from Italian olivewood with elegant copper rivets for hanging, Papantoniou singles out the spoon as her go-to for mixing: 'Many people prefer wooden ones for tomato sauce since they’re less reactive than metal,' she says.
Nicole (she/her) is the senior director of the Good Housekeeping Institute Kitchen & Cooking Lab. She oversees all content and testing related to kitchen products, food, and recipes. She has worked at GH since 2019, and is a trained cook, published recipe developer, and seasoned product tester with nearly 15 years of experience. She has worked in test kitchens for national magazines and kitchen appliances brands, where she also helped develop products for the home cook. She earned a degree in journalism from SUNY New Paltz, graduated with a Grand Diplome in Classic Culinary Arts from the French Culinary Institute, and studied culinary nutrition at the Natural Gourmet Institute (both now part of the Institute of Culinary Education in New York City.)
