How to use and care for cooking utensils

Spatulas, spoons, turners, tongs and whisks do more work than any pan in the kitchen, yet they are the tools most likely to be left resting on a hot rim or thrown in the dishwasher without a thought. Each material behaves differently with heat, water and cookware. This guide covers the four you are most likely to own. Heat ratings and dishwasher suitability vary by product, so where your utensil's own instructions differ, follow the manufacturer.

Match the utensil to the pan

• Non-stick and ceramic pans: silicone, nylon or wood only. Metal tools scratch coatings, and scratches are where sticking and flaking start.
• Stainless steel, cast iron and carbon steel: anything goes. A thin metal fish slice or turner gets under a sear far better than silicone.
• Enamelled cast iron: silicone or wood. Metal can chip or mark the enamel.
• Glass and ceramic bakeware: silicone or wood; metal can scratch the surface.

Know the four materials

Silicone is flexible, gentle on coatings and usually heat-resistant to around 200–260°C depending on the product — ideal for scraping bowls, folding and stirring sauces. Nylon is stiffer and cheaper but typically rated lower, often around 200°C, and will soften or melt if left against a hot pan. Wood does not scratch, stays cool to hold and does not melt, but it absorbs water and needs drying and the occasional oiling. Stainless steel is the most heat-proof and hygienic, and the right choice for high-heat searing, braai work and deep-frying.

Washing

• Rinse tools soon after use, before sauce, egg and starch dry on.
• Silicone, nylon and stainless steel: warm water, dishwashing liquid and a sponge. Most are dishwasher-safe — check the label.
• Wooden spoons and spatulas: hand wash with warm soapy water and rinse. Do not soak, and keep them out of the dishwasher; heat and long wet cycles crack and split the wood.
• Clean the join between head and handle, where food collects, with a bottle brush or old toothbrush.
• Whisks: rinse straight away and swish in hot soapy water. Dried batter inside the wires is very hard to shift.

Drying

Dry wooden tools with a tea towel and stand them upright, head up, so water drains away from the handle. Metal tongs and whisks with hollow handles should be dried fully to avoid spotting. In humid coastal kitchens, give everything a little longer before it goes back into a drawer or pot.

Looking after wood

Every few weeks, or whenever a wooden spoon looks pale and dry, rub it with a little food-safe mineral oil or board oil, leave it overnight, and wipe off the excess. If the grain feels fuzzy after washing, a light sand with fine sandpaper followed by oil brings it back. Avoid olive or sunflower oil for this; they can turn rancid in the wood.

Stains and smells

• Turmeric, tomato and curry stains on silicone and nylon: a paste of bicarbonate of soda and water, left for 15 minutes, then washed. Sunlight fades them further.
• Oily film or odour on silicone: wash in very hot water, or bake plain silicone tools for a few minutes at a temperature well below their rating, then wash. Check the maker's guidance first.
• Garlic or onion smell in wood: rub with coarse salt and half a lemon, rinse and dry.

Storage

A utensil pot beside the stove keeps everyday tools dry and to hand; a drawer organiser keeps the rest from tangling. Store tools only once they are dry, and keep sharp-edged metal turners and graters away from silicone heads, which they can nick.

When to replace

• Silicone or nylon that has melted, bubbled, gone sticky, cracked or developed nicks along the edge.
• Wooden tools that are deeply cracked or split, have black mould in the grain, or smell even after cleaning.
• Tongs that no longer spring back or close evenly, and whisks with bent or loose wires.
• Anything with a loose head or handle, where food and water can collect in the join.
• Any metal tool that has lost its coating or developed sharp burrs that could scratch cookware.