Your Wooden Kitchen Spoons Are Probably Worn Out. It’s Time to Revive Them.
Updated November 3, 2025
Maki Yazawa/NYT Wirecutter
By Maki Yazawa
Maki Yazawa is a writer focused on making cooking fun. She once cooked for Natalie Portman, and her friends won’t let her forget it.
When was the last time you sharpened a dull chef’s knife? Or seasoned a rusty cast-iron skillet? Or [descaled a coffee machine](https://www.nytimes.com/wirecutte…
Your Wooden Kitchen Spoons Are Probably Worn Out. It’s Time to Revive Them.
Updated November 3, 2025
Maki Yazawa/NYT Wirecutter
By Maki Yazawa
Maki Yazawa is a writer focused on making cooking fun. She once cooked for Natalie Portman, and her friends won’t let her forget it.
When was the last time you sharpened a dull chef’s knife? Or seasoned a rusty cast-iron skillet? Or descaled a coffee machine?
Such mundane kitchen tasks can easily fall by the wayside, which is why weeks can often turn into months before you give your wooden spoons the love they so desperately deserve. And of all the tools in your kitchen, wooden spoons are particularly finicky — they’re incompatible with dishwashers, prone to warp when exposed to high temperatures, and liable to get especially grimy if you don’t properly take care of them.
Wooden spoons offer a lot of advantages. They don’t react to acidic ingredients (like tomatoes) and don’t scratch delicate surfaces (like ceramic). Plus, they’re a great alternative to black-plastic kitchen tools, if you’re trying to avoid those. But like wooden cutting boards, they require a bit of care from time to time.
Wooden spoons show signs of aging, and you can’t just chuck them into the dishwasher and expect them to come out looking brand-spanking-new. Without proper care, wooden spoons can get parched, discolor, or even crack.
Fortunately, cleaning, caring for, and restoring wooden spoons to their full glory is simple. With the right supplies and a few minutes to spare, you can prolong their lifespan and ensure their cleanliness for years to come.
The cleaning tools you’ll need
Staff writer Michael Sullivan, who wrote an in-depth guide to cleaning and caring for a wooden cutting board, says the task is fairly comparable to the care you need to do on a wooden spoon. You need unscented dish soap, a good sponge, a clean dish towel or paper towels, food-grade mineral oil, and food-grade beeswax (though that’s optional here).
The supplies you’ll need to keep wooden spoons looking as good as new. Maki Yazawa/NYT Wirecutter
Wash spoons with unscented soap
Always wash a wooden spoon with unscented soap immediately after each use. “I don’t use scented soap because it can leave a residue,” Michael explains. Since wood is porous, it is also susceptible to absorbing odors that can transfer to food, so you should stay away from fragrance whenever possible.
Scrub any visible food particles under hot, running water with a sturdy sponge (we’re partial to Scotch-Brite sponges). Then pat the spoon dry with a clean kitchen towel and let it air-dry for at least a few hours — preferably overnight — before proceeding to the next step.
For everyday purposes, washing wooden spoons in the sink with unscented soap is all you need to do. But you should condition them with mineral oil every few weeks or so to help prevent decay and splintering.
Never put your wooden spoons in the dishwasher. Maki Yazawa/NYT Wirecutter
As tempting as it may be, never run your wooden spoons through the dishwasher, as that can cause them to warp, crack, or splinter. Even though you may have seen folks on TikTok boiling wooden spoons, claiming that it sanitizes them, we strongly advise against that, as extreme heat and water submersion can warp or damage the wood.
Coat spoons with food-grade mineral oil when they start looking dry
If your wooden spoons begin to look particularly dry and dull, it’s time to apply a splash of food-grade mineral oil (such as Thirteen Chefs Mineral Oil or Howard Cutting Board Oil). We recommend mineral oil because it’s neutral-tasting, odorless, affordable, and easy to apply.
Wooden spoons absorb some oils from cooking over time, which can help create a natural barrier against grit and grime. But coating them with an even layer of mineral oil every so often helps to further hydrate the wood and protect against splintering or cracking, which can create nooks and crannies that trap food and harbor bacteria.
You might need a little more oil than expected, but that’s normal, as the wood absorbs some of it. Maki Yazawa/NYT Wirecutter
Apply a few drops of mineral oil at a time and rub it on the surface using a clean kitchen towel or paper towel, working on one small section at a time. You don’t need to rub it in aggressively; as long as the spoon is well-coated, a bit of excess oil isn’t an issue.
Immediately, your wooden spoon will look slightly darker and far more hydrated. But it’s important to let the spoon rest overnight to allow the oil to fully seep into the porous surface before you use it again.
Since this step requires a bit of downtime, Michael says he tends to oil his wooden cookware just before heading out of town or going on vacation. This allows the wood to thoroughly soak while he’s away and doesn’t rush the process. But as a rule of thumb, you should complete this process every few weeks or so.
Add a layer of food-grade beeswax to lock in moisture
Use a paper towel to spread the beeswax in a thin, even layer. Maki Yazawa/NYT Wirecutter
For additional measure, after the mineral oil has sat on the spoon overnight, use a clean paper towel to rub in a dime-sized amount of food-grade beeswax (such as Boos Block Board Cream) across the surface. Make sure to evenly coat all sides of the spoon, especially the edges, as they do the most scraping.
Although coating wooden spoons with wax isn’t necessary, it helps lock in the moisture further and keep the wood in tip-top condition.
Michael notes that a good way to tell if you’ve applied a sufficient amount of wax is by seeing whether water droplets on the spoon hold their shape. If so, it’s a sign of a well-conditioned wooden surface. If instead the water disperses and is quickly absorbed, that might indicate dehydration and the need for more treatment.
The three spoons on the right are freshly conditioned, while the three on the left aren’t. Note that the spoons are of varying wood species, so the color may naturally vary. Maki Yazawa/NYT Wirecutter
If a wooden spoon is cracked or severely splintered, your best bet is to toss it and buy a replacement. Otherwise, you could run the risk of bacterial contamination.
However, if you routinely clean and care for your spoons, you’ll ensure that they don’t crack. Well-hydrated spoons should last years — or even a lifetime, if you’re lucky — making a boring kitchen task all the more worthwhile.
This article was edited by Megan Beauchamp and Maxine Builder.
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Maki Yazawa
What I Cover
I’m a writer covering kitchen topics.