'Revolting' photo shows just how dirty your wooden spoon really is

You might think popping your wooden cooking utensils in the dishwasher means they are clean, but a revolting photo has shown just how much grime might still be lurking on them.

It was actually former MasterChef judge Matt Preston who came up with the ‘wooden spoon test’ a few years ago. And now a mum’s result when trying the hack at home has gone viral online, clearly shocking plenty of people.

“This one is going into the bin,” the woman posted alongside a photo on Facebook, showing her wooden spoon sitting in some filthy water.

“A tip I learned from Matt Preston years ago. Does anyone soak their wooden spoons in boiling water?

“Mine always go into the dishwasher every night but that doesn't stop what gets absorbed. Revolting really.”

The simple cleaning method involves leaving the spoons in a cup of boiling water for up to 20 minutes to see what oils and leftover juices are lurking inside the wood.

And given the number of ‘vomit’ emojis left on the post, the photo definitely left plenty of people rethinking their choice of wooden utensils.

“Omg, I’m going to go do this to my spoons right now,” one person commented.

“Until this post I never thought to do this. I wash them in boiling hot water when they are used and never had any issues,” another admitted.

Others said that was exactly why they chose not to use wooden spoons - for cooking - at home.

“The one wooden spoon in my kitchen is for display purposes only i.e. threatening the kids,” one person quipped.

“No wooden spoons or boards in my kitchen at all for this reason,” another agreed.

While a third said: “That’s why I use silicon spatulas! I know they are clean.”

Matt Preston had previously said wooden spoons might appear ‘perfect’ on the surface, but the trick reveals the truth.

“On the surface a perfect present but stick an old one in a cup of boiling water to see what fate awaits all wooden spoons,” he told Delicious in 2016.

“Give it a sniff. Phew, stinky! And you were going to stir your custard with that!”

He recommended going for a silicon spatula instead.

“They're hygienic, heat-resistant and flexible, so they are great for getting into the corner of a pan or getting every last skerrick out of a bowl,” he added.

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