How to Clean Kitchen Utensils (Spatulas, Ladles, Tongs, and More)

Kitchen utensils touch your food every day — but they're often cleaned less thoroughly than pots and pans. Grease, food residue, and bacteria build up in joints, holes, and textured surfaces. Here's how to clean every type properly.

What You'll Need

• Mild dish soap and warm water
• Amazon Basics Non-Scratch Sponges
• Holikme Bottle Brush Set — narrow brushes reach into holes, joints, and crevices
• Microfiber Cleaning Cloths
• Baking soda (for stubborn grease)

General Cleaning: After Every Use

1. Rinse utensils under warm water immediately after use to prevent food from drying on.
2. Wash with warm soapy water and a sponge or brush.
3. Pay special attention to joints, rivets, holes, and textured surfaces where food hides.
4. Rinse thoroughly and dry completely before storing.

Cleaning Specific Utensil Types

Spatulas and Turners

Wash both sides of the head and the joint where the head meets the handle — grease accumulates here. Use a bottle brush to clean any holes or slots in slotted spatulas.

Ladles

Wash the bowl and the inside of the handle joint. If the ladle has a hanging hole, use a narrow brush to clean inside it.

Tongs

Open the tongs fully and scrub both gripping surfaces and the spring mechanism. Food and grease collect in the spring joint — use a bottle brush to reach inside.

Whisks

Whisks are the hardest to clean — food gets trapped between the wires. Soak in warm soapy water for 5–10 minutes, then use a bottle brush to scrub between the wires. Rinse by running water through the whisk head while flexing the wires.

Peelers and Graters

Use a stiff brush to scrub in the direction of the blades — never against them. A bottle brush works well for box graters. Rinse immediately after use before food dries in the holes.

Removing Stubborn Grease from Utensils

For utensils with baked-on grease:

1. Soak in hot water with a generous squirt of dish soap for 15–30 minutes.
2. Scrub with the abrasive side of a non-scratch sponge.
3. For persistent grease, make a paste of baking soda and dish soap, apply, let sit 10 minutes, then scrub and rinse.

Are Kitchen Utensils Dishwasher Safe?

• Stainless steel: generally dishwasher safe
• Silicone: usually dishwasher safe — check manufacturer instructions
• Wood and bamboo: hand wash only — dishwasher causes warping and cracking
• Nylon/plastic: check for dishwasher-safe label; high heat can warp some plastics

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I clean a whisk without bending the wires?

Soak first to loosen food, then use a bottle brush gently between the wires. Avoid forcing a thick sponge through — this bends the wires out of shape.

My utensils smell like old grease even after washing. Why?

Grease is hiding in joints, holes, or textured surfaces that your sponge isn't reaching. Use a bottle brush to scrub every crevice, and soak in hot soapy water before scrubbing.

How often should I replace kitchen utensils?

Replace when you notice cracking, peeling, deep staining that won't clean off, or any damage to the surface that could contaminate food. High-quality stainless steel utensils can last many years with proper care.