Alright, let’s get straight to it. You’re standing there, loading the dishwasher after dinner, hands greasy from rinsing off spaghetti sauce, and you’ve got that trusty wooden spoon in your hand. You pause. Look at it. Look at the dishwasher. Look back at the spoon.
“Eh… can I just throw this in too?”
We’ve all been there.
Short answer? Technically, you can.
Smart answer? Please don’t.
Let’s talk about why—because it’s not just us being dramatic over cutlery.
What Happens When You Dishwasher a Wooden Spoon?
Okay, picture this: wood, at its core, is super porous. That means it absorbs stuff—water, soap, heat, food particles (gross, right?). Now, your dishwasher is like a spa day from hell for wood: hot water, aggressive detergent, and heat-drying. Combine all that, and what do you get?
- Cracking
- Warping
- Splitting
- Rough texture
- That weird fuzzy grainy thing that happens (you know what we mean)
Basically, your wooden spoon starts aging faster than milk left out on the counter. What once was your go-to stirrer turns into something you’d be embarrassed to use in front of your in-laws.
But Wait, I Already Put It in the Dishwasher… Once
No judgment. If it survived one cycle without turning into driftwood, great. It’s not the end of the world. But here’s the deal—repeated washes? That’s when the damage starts showing. One day it’s fine, and the next it’s curling like a potato chip.
So if you’ve done it once or twice, don’t panic. Just don’t make it a habit.
What Should You Do Instead?
Okay, let’s talk solutions. Cleaning wooden utensils doesn’t need to be complicated or annoying.
Here’s how to do it right:
- Rinse it right away – Don’t let sauce dry on there like it’s concrete.
- Wash by hand – Warm water, a little dish soap, and a soft sponge. That’s it.
- Dry it immediately – Don’t let it sit in the sink like it’s on vacation. Water soaking = bad.
- Oil it now and then – Yep, like a cutting board. A little food-safe mineral oil keeps the wood from drying out and cracking.
It’s that easy. Think of your wooden spoon like a cast iron pan—it just wants a little love.
But… What If I’m Lazy?
Hey, we get it. Who wants to wash stuff by hand when the dishwasher is right there?
Here’s a trick: if you must use the dishwasher (like, it’s 2 AM and you just can’t anymore), try putting the spoon on the top rack, and turn off the heat dry setting if you can. Then, as soon as the cycle ends, take it out and dry it with a towel.
Still not ideal. But better than nothing.
Final Scoop (Pun Fully Intended)
So, can you put a wooden spoon in the dishwasher?
Sure… but you really shouldn’t.
It might survive a few rounds, but over time, it’s gonna start looking sad—and no one wants sad spoons in their kitchen.
Instead, take the extra 30 seconds, hand wash it, and keep that spoon in the game for years to come. Your future soup will thank you. 🍲