We just received a nice set of wooden kitchen spoons, and I recall reading elsewhere that they should be seasoned before first use, and occasionally afterward. So I did a requisite 'net search to find out best oil to use. Well, lots of opinions out there.
Would like feedback from members here before choosing the appropriate oil. TY
I just picked up some of this cutting board oil at Home Depot for my cutting boards. Will be sanding down the wooden spoons I use all the time that have gotten a bit rough around the edges and re-oiling them with this stuff as well.
http://www.homedepot.com/p/Howard-12-oz-Cutting-Board-Oil-BBB012/202500132
I have never oiled wooden utensils or cutting boards. If used with stinky food, or meat, I wash with soapy water, rinse well, air-dry. Otherwise, just a wipe with a damp paper towel. A spoon might crack after a decade or so; otherwise itâs smooth sailing.
I buy food grade mineral oil at the pharmacy. The one sold as a laxative is usually the cheapest. I used to let them soak in a zip lock bag with several ounces of oil for 3-5 days, or even longer. They will soak up a lot of oil. Now I vac pack them in the oil with my chamber vacuum sealer and let them sit for a week. I now buy food grade mineral oil by the gallon on Amazon. (I also do the same with my line of hand made exotic wood cocktail muddlers. Better than varnish at bringing out the color and grain.)
Once you season them this well they only need a wipe down every now and then with more mineral oil. I even put them through the dishwasher on the top rack on the high heat setting.
If interested in the muddlersâŚ
âwooden utensilsâ regrets to say are not âwooden utensilsâ some âwoodsâ are so porous, so cheap, theyâre not worth the effort.
the inexpensive "$1 for 12 " spoons, etc are not the same as good stuff. what is good stuff? see http://www.cpbasils.com/ for the good stuff - no relations - Iâve been using their stuff for near two decades and it is top shelf.
regardless - look for a compound of mineral oil and bees wax. thatâs the classic, proven liquid for food safe wood implements - boards and elsewise.
HD has one brand - itâs not difficult to find.
I use either mineral oil or walnut oil to oil my wooden cutting boards and utensils. Both work well.
I usually oil my wooden cutting boards and utensils when I sharpen my knives. Itâs an easy way for me to remember.
I agree with ZwiebelHash - a mixture of mineral oil and beeswax works great. Personally, I use Howard Butcher Block Conditioner (mineral oil, beeswax, and carnauba wax), available from Amazon. It penetrates well and seems to last a long time. Just rub it all over the wooden utensils, let them sit overnight, wash by hand with soap and water, and air dry. I usually start off with two or three treatments, then repeat whenever the utensils get kind of chalky looking (maybe once or twice a year). Great for olive wood utensils and cherry cutting boards.
Agreed. Which is why I go with antique or vintage wooden spoons. Made of a hardwood vs. the flimsy plywood or whatever you buy thatâs cheap-cheap.
I donât know, for cheaper spoons, I donât season them. I think with my more expansive spoons, I used neutral cooking oil, like grape seed oil. After numerous usage, especially stirring beet salad, they didnât get the red colour.
I like to use a mixture of beeswax and tung oil to season it. I am lazy, so I like to use drying oil to somewhat seal the surface. However, I donât think seasoning is a must.
Although I am too lazy to oil my wooden utensils and butcher board, I have a danish oil at home thatâs of food grade quality that I use for finishing wood, including my wooden dining table that was unfinished when bought:
http://www.triedandtruewoodfinish.com/products/danish-oil/
I did the research 7 ago when I needed to find the least toxic/ most natural oil for finishing wood. I forgot the products that I looked at. But at the time I settled on the above.
Regardless of what you choose, because you the finish will come in contact with food, its good to ensure that the finish doesnât have metal driers, solvents, and other chemicals that might be questionable to ingest. The oil should have a MSDS on their web site that you can look at to see what kind of ingredients it has.
The danish oil above will smell naturally oily after application. But the smell will dissipate after you let it air out.
Well. Thank you all for your great guidance here. I now have a planâŚ
Like your Amazon Page! We have a son who tends bar. Youâll have to help me pick a Muddler we can gift him with.
Neat tools here, Zwiebell-lash. Thank you for the reference!
the CPBasil stuff is expensive, but it is really good stuff. what I like in particular is they have the design / âanglesâ right - one does not have to play Twister with the tool to make it âworkâ rightâŚ
I have a set of wooden spurtles from 1979 that I have never oiled. I do oil my wood cutting board with Boos Magic Oil every month.
Mineral oil
Another USP-grade mineral oiler here.
I do my wooden utensils, cutting boards, & butcher block with it.
I really like the idea of using something like TanukiSoupâs âButcher Block Conditionerâ, but Iâve yet to spring for it. 
Just oiled our new spoons yesterday, with the Howardâs Butcher Block Conditioner. I was AMAZED at how much conditioner the spoons absorbed.
I have mostly cheap wood utensils that receive nothing other than washing with soap and water. The only ones that have been replaced are the ones the dog chewed up!
