How to clean wooden utensils and avoid getting splinters in your food

These are the best methods for cleaning stained, old wooden utensils, like spoons and spatulas, to make them look new again.

You probably have at least a few wooden spoons and spatulas in your kitchen that you’ve had for a few years. While you may clean them regularly, you likely also find that some of them just don’t seem to ever truly get clean, particularly if they’re stained from some sort of seasoning or food. While wooden kitchen utensils are a great alternative to toxic black plastic utensils, they require a little more care to help them last. I spoke to multiple cleaning experts to learn how to clean wooden kitchen utensils and accessories, like spoons, cutting boards, spatulas and more. Below, they share the best methods for getting rid of stains and smells, and how to actually keep your utensils clean over time.

Want more from NBC Selected? Sign up for our newsletter, The Selection, and shop smarter. The best products for cleaning wooden kitchen utensils Before you can get to the steps for cleaning your utensils, you’ll need to gather your supplies, like the ones below. The picks on this list are highly reviewed and have at least a four-star rating from 500 or more shoppers on Amazon and/or are direct recommendations from our staff of wooden utensils users. This food-safe mineral oil is free of fragrances or smells and it’s safe to use on kitchen utensils made from