A health fan has urged people to make sure they’re not forgetting to wash a utensil we all have in our kitchens. In a recent TikTok video, Sunna van Kampen, founder of Tonic Health, explained that we should remember to wash one type of utensil, as they hide all sorts of dirt and nasties in them.
In the video, Sunna said: “Here’s a spring cleaning essential you haven’t thought about: wooden spoons. They absorb a lot of the food and a lot of the stuff you put on them.” The businessman advised his followers to deep clean their wooden spoons once a year by placing them in a saucepan with some boiling water. After boiling the spoons for around 25 minutes, Sunna was left with a saucepan full of murky water, with Sunna reassuring the water should appear that way.
However, this method should only be used to sanitize the wooden spoons, rather than be used as a regular cleaning method.
Better Homes & Gardens noted that extreme water temperatures can actually cause wood to warp over time.
Although boiling wooden spoons will help to remove grime, cooking debris and other germs, you run the risk of damaging the utensil altogether.
They wrote: “The wooden spoon boiling method is only recommended to do about once a month, depending on how often you cook with them, whether you use them to stir raw meat or just veggies, and other factors.”
As wood is a porous material, it is more likely to absorb more of the grime and food particles when you’re cooking.
Boiling water allows for some of the dirt and bacteria to be released, but for a more regular clean, you should be using warm water instead.
For a more effective clean, experts recommended using a non-abrasive brush or sponge, kitchen roll or tea towel, and some regular washing up liquid.
Using abrasive chemicals can also break down the wood.
Air drying is also a safe way to make sure the spoons don’t degrade.
Once everything is dry, you should store the utensils in a cool, ventilated place.
However, if you are finding that your wooden spoons have some tougher stains than usual, you can use the likes of baking soda and white vinegar to get rid of unwanted smells and food stains.
These should be rinsed thoroughly before storing.
