Freshen Up Wooden Spoons & Boards With A Lemon And Baking Soda Cleaning Tip

We've all been there: Your favorite wooden spoon or cutting board gets stained after you make dinner. You've washed and dried it, but the usual dishwashing just isn't cutting it, and you're left with bright-colored stains from the food you just prepared. Though there are several ways to freshen up your cutting boards and spoons, a lemon and baking soda cleaning tip might be exactly what you need to make your wooden utensils as good as new.

Baking soda is a common kitchen cleaning solution because it helps to remove stains and deodorize. The lemon juice has natural antibacterial properties as well as a strong, clean scent. Together they are a great way to refresh wooden utensils. Before cleaning with these items though, you'll first want to thoroughly wash your wooden items as you normally would with dish soap in the sink. After they are washed, dry the wooden items and prepare them for cleaning by putting them in a container so the lemon juice and baking soda mixture stays in one place.

After your utensils are clean and in a container, take baking soda and lightly sprinkle it all over the wooden kitchen supplies. From here, cut up a lemon and squeeze the juices on top of the baking soda. Let the solution sit on your utensils for a few minutes, then use water to wash away the mixture. If you have an especially stubborn smell or stain, use a clean cloth, sponge, or dish brush to gently scrub the mixture on the wood before rinsing off with water.

To help lessen stains in the future and disinfect your wooden utensils properly, be sure to rinse, wash, and dry them immediately after using them. This will help prevent stains from setting in the wood. You can also increase the longevity of your wooden utensils by occasionally oiling your spoons with beeswax or mineral oil to help prevent the wood from drying out or splintering. Though wooden items shouldn't last forever in your kitchen, this will help extend their life. Avoid submerging wooden kitchen supplies in water as this can also contribute to wood drying and cracking, which can shorten how long the utensils last.