C is for Carved Wooden Spoons | 7 Tips to Keep Them Forever Young

I have an antique glass picture once owned by my great-grandmother. It sits next to my stove. It used to have bright red, painted cherries decorating the outside but they were not resilient to the hot water of my dishwasher. The color is gone but the general design remains and it still tells a story.

These days, it is filled to the brim with wooden utensils that I use for cooking. I’ve picked them up at various locations over the years. Some on my travels, but most are inexpensive and often need to be replaced at regular intervals. I think it might be time to start upgrading the contents of my pitcher.

Carved Wooden Spoons is run by a local wood carver who specializes in wooden utensils.

From the Carved Wooden Spoon Website, “I use sustainably harvested wood and I’m dedicated to making 100% natural woodenware products that will be enjoyed for a lifetime!“

I bought one spoon and a small wooden pinch bowl from Carved Wooden Spoons recently. Both are made out of cherry and pre-seasoned with walnut oil and beeswax. The processing time was advertised as seven days although my order arrived even faster. Depending on the time of year, there may be a longer delivery time but he has it listed on the front page of his website so it’s clear up front before you make your purchase.

I was extremely happy with my purchase. Both pieces look amazing. It also motivated me to do a little spring cleaning. Many of my existing wooden pieces were dry and in need of a good moisturizing much like me during the winter months.

It may appear from my pictures below like I didn’t need another wooden spoon but to that I would say “you are wrong”. You can always use another wooden spoon.

I am really lax when it comes to taking care of my wooden kitchenware. Even when I start getting splinters, which clearly indicates it’s well past “time” to care for this investment, I put the chore off. I’m thankful that this post prompted me to pull out my food grade mineral oil and give all my wooden kitchen gear a good rub down.

I also did a little research so I’d have a better plan moving forward on how to take care of my wooden utensils. Turns out, my new spoon will only last a lifetime if I actually take care of it properly.

Here are nine tips on taking care of your wooden kitchenware.

  1. Hand Wash Only. The dishwasher can cause warping and cracking. Don’t make the mistake I made with my great-grandmother’s pitcher. No dishwashers for sensitive items!
  2. Don’t Soak. When my sink is full of dishes, which is far more often than I would like to admit, I often fill my bowls and cookware so they can soak. Wood and water don’t mix. I keep the wooden stuff far away from the water.
  3. Clean Quickly. Don’t let food dry and harden as it will be more difficult to remove. I learned this when making my annual Christmas caramels. Hot water running over the spoon eventually removed the residue but I’m pretty sure it also shortened the life of that particular spoon.
  4. Wash and DRY. I’m guilty of throwing my wood spoons onto my drying rack without toweling them off first, but this is not good. It can lead to the wood absorbing water causing swelling and cracking.
  5. Sand. Smooth down any fuzziness, roughness or splinters with a fine grit sandpaper. I’ve never really done this as it seemed odd to keep sandpaper in my kitchen, but my new spoon and pinch bowl from Carved Wooden Spoons even came with a cute little sandpaper circle so I’m be adding this to my routine.
  6. Moisturize. Looks like the general consensus is to oil them every month or so, and surprisingly, not every few years like I’ve been doing. I’ve been using food grade mineral oil, when I remember to moisturize, but I saw that Carved Wooden Spoons makes a Natural Walnut Oil Based Spoon Wax and I’m planning to switch to that option. I learned that mineral oil is a petroleum-based product, and I’m all for getting away from oil based products as much as possible so time to discontinue the mineral oil. My new spoon and pinch bowl came pre-seasoned with the walnut wax and they look awesome.
  7. No Meat. Or, eggs. I have always practiced this policy. My undergraduate degree was in Human Nutrition and, while I’ve forgotten most of that education, I’m vigilant when it comes to keeping raw meat and eggs away from my wooden cutting boards and utensils. Bacteria can get into cracks on the wood and spread food borne illnesses. I have a special cutting board made from recycled plastic that can go in the dishwasher to be fully sanitized after touching raw meat.

I don’t know if these steps will keep my wooden ware forever young, but with the proper care I’m hoping I can pass my beautiful new wooden spoon and pinch bowl down to the next generation. My girls do like to cook.

Do you use wooden kitchen utensils? How often do you oil them?

things to know
Name Carved Wooden Spoons
Location Brunswick, Maine
Phone (207) 330-5508
Website Carved Wooden Spoons
Favorite ♥ Versatility

WIM Signature

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35 thoughts on “C is for Carved Wooden Spoons | 7 Tips to Keep Them Forever Young”

  1. Ally Bean says:
    Reply

    Thanks for this info. I’ve always wondered, and worried a little, about wooden spoons. They’re so pretty to see in the utensil crocks on my kitchen counter, but I’ve wondered about how safe they are to use. Now I know!

    Liked by 1 person

    • Weekends in Maine says:
      Reply

      I can understand not enjoying eating off of wooden spoons. I feel like they leave a dry feeling in my mouth even when eating something wet like ice cream with them. But, for cooking and using during food prep, I really love them.

      Like

    • Weekends in Maine says:
      Reply

      I’ve always been good about not soaking them although occasionally one gets left in a pot with some liquid by accident. I did sand a few of mine when I went through them last month and it worked well.

      Like

  13. Roslyn says:
    Reply

    Have you seen the wooden Celtic lovespoons? They are beautiful, but not very practical for use. I’m with the previous comment from Leanne – I’ve also failed in every care tip for my wooden spoons, which are also pretty cheap. Your post makes me want to go out and buy some more expensive ones and treat them with love and kindness. 🙂
    Ros from Fangirl Stitches

    Liked by 1 person

  14. Kaddu says:
    Reply

    Oh! I had no idea that wooden cookware required so much care. I did learn about the soaking bit and the cleaning immediately bit through experience. Didn’t know about not using them eggs and meat.
    Wooden spoons are not my favorite anyway. They feel a bit clumsy in my hands. I like my wooden chopping board though.
    Thanks for sharing these tips!
    Happy AtoZing!
    Chicky @ http://www.mysteriouskaddu.com

    Liked by 1 person

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