We may receive a commission on purchases made from links.

The Telltale Signs It's Time To Replace Your Wooden Spoons

While a wooden spoon can come in handy for making certain dishes, like being the ideal stirring stick for a sauce or preventing over-baked cheesecake, chefs need to be wary of the telltale signs that a wooden spoon needs to be replaced. Not only is a defective wooden spoon a bit of an eyesore, but it can also house bacteria when it is unable to be cleaned properly.

The good news is that sometimes, wooden spoons make it quite obvious that it's time to retire. Its appearance is an important indicator of how much life it has left, including cracks in the wood. Cracks in a wooden spoon can create small divots that are essentially impossible to clean, which can lock in moisture and provide a perfect house for nasty, dangerous bacteria. While bacteria may be visible, some can also hold an unpleasant odor which can indicate that it should be thrown away.

Prolonging a wooden spoon's lifespan

While an odor may indicate that it's time to get rid of a wooden spoon, a few cracks doesn't mean that it has to be replaced immediately. Instead, using wood wax may actually prolong the use of wooden utensils. Since wooden spoons are exposed to so many different temperatures and substances, it is very easy for them to crack, break, or become unusable. However, by taking care of them over time, it is possible to keep them for a longer time than the average wooden spoon.

After washing a spoon, apply wood wax (Lancaster Cast Iron Wood Wax is a popular option) to the completely dry spoon and allow them to sit overnight. Then, after cleaning off the unabsorbed wax left on the spoon, it will be ready to assist in cooking once again.

Despite the fact that extra items like wood wax may be able to extend the lifetime of a wooden spoon, Made In co-founder Chip Malt recommends replacing wooden spoons every five years regardless of its appearance. While it may seem like one of those things in the kitchen that never goes bad (like flour, which should have been thrown out already), it is always the safer option to replace an older wooden cooking utensil than to continue using it.

Recommended