How to Care for Wooden Spoons

[Tina Nord]

I know that with wooden cutting boards, you have to season them with a little oil after washing them so that they do not get all dry and cracked, but what about wooden spoons? I have a set of bamboo spoons that is really nice and I want to keep them as long as possible, do these need to be seasoned as well?

 

[Trellum]

Yeah, they do, but even if you don't they should be just fine, it's better you do it just in case tho. I always season my wooden instruments Specially spoons, because they come in contact with a lot warm liquids of different textures.

 

[DancingLady]

I have never done that. I just wash them with the hand washed dishes, dry them and put them away. Wood spoons generally last quite a while unless they stay too wet too long and get black on them. If that happens you can try bleaching them, but that doesn't always get rid of it all. I've never had a problem with spoons cracking, just molding.

 

[Tina Nord]

I have never had an issue with my spoons getting black or moldy, and that is surprising because I live in a damp climate. I have been just hand washing them and then laying them on a mat to air-dry, and they still look good after about 4 years of use.

 

[Mara]

I try to wash my wooden spoons as soon as possible and not allow them to soak for too long. I have several in different sizes so I can alternate using them so they don't get too worn out.

 

[Winterybella]

I honestly have not used my wooden spoons recently. I had bought them back in the day and for whatever reason have not used them in years. The few times that I used them I don't remember caring for them in any special way. Wash and allow to dry. These days I am amazed at the care recommended for all kinds of utensils.

 

[PrideKidd]

I've never heard of seasoning wooden spoons but I bet you could just as easily as wooden cutting boards but I have never tried it honestly. Did you try it after you made this post by chance? If not I may try and see if it makes a difference as I try and use wooden utensils as much as possible.

 

[ThatNewMommy]

I love wooden spoons and bowls but don't use them. I KNOW they have to be washed and dried immediately after, and that they shouldn't soak. BUT, my partner would keep soaking them anyways and they kept getting kind of yucky. I would clean them or get new ones and he kept doing it. So I just stopped buying them. It was getting to be too much of a hassle for me.

I never had a problem with cracking on the spoons, bowls, or cutting board though. But, I live in a tropical climate so maybe that's why? Have you tried it? If you havent I also suggest using the same technique you would as the wooden board.

 

[Winterybella]

Yesterday I thought I had posted a link. I am pretty sure the one I saw then was one that speaks to seasoning the spoons. Like I said earlier I don't use wooden spoon normally but I am glad the subject has come up. Here is a useful link for the care of spoons.

http://www.thekitchn.com/happy-kitchen-caring-for-woode-49806

 

[tangela]

I've never done that with my wooden spoons and they've all held up for a really long time. I think it's just a matter of washing it well and making sure it dries properly, and not storing it before it dries completely. I could see how it would be different for something so big such as a cutting board, but wooden spoons should be fine if you're diligent about cleaning and washing it.

 

[connie]

I only use wooden spoons. Some are really old and I mean decades old. They are great. They can withstand anything including sitting in the bottom of the washing up bowl with a water in it and it does not seem to affect them. New spoons on the other hand suffer badly if that happens as become really dry and rough, but have never split. I do season the new ones when I remember. Not with normal cooking oil but with a heavy nutritional oil something that will 'feed' the wood and help it for much longer than sunflower oil or vegetable oil will. Often I will use a really good extra virgin olive oil or even a nut oil such as walnut or hazelnut oil. These are not cheap oils but they seem to work much better and season the wood much better and I much prefer spoons and spatulas (I have wooden spatulas as well) that are not going to be rough and dry and feel uncomfortable in my hands.

 

[Lillys]

Wow, everyone said that they have never had a split. Mine always end up cracking and splitting. I hand wash them and dry them right away. Maybe I'll try seasoning them from now on