How to Care for and Maintain Kitchen Accessories: Boards, Shears, Utensils, and Storage

The way to care for most kitchen accessories is to wash them by hand with warm water and mild soap, dry them right away, and store them where air can reach them. Wooden items need occasional oil, metal items need to be kept dry, and nothing with a pivot, seam, or handle should soak in the sink.

Most kitchen tools do not fail because they wear out. They fail because of a handful of habits: a wooden board left wet overnight, a pair of shears put through the dishwasher for years, a knife block that has never been cleaned. A few minutes of care at the right moments adds years to a tool's life and keeps food-contact surfaces clean.

This kitchen accessories guide is written for home cooks who need tips for cleaning and sanitizing their kitchen accessories. We cover all the essentials, give you a simple schedule, and warn on mistakes to avoid. 

Table of Contents

• Key Takeaways
• How to Care for Wooden Cutting Boards
• How to Care for Plastic and Composite Boards
• How to Care for Kitchen Shears
• How to Care for Kitchen Utensils
• How to Care for Knife Storage
• How to Sanitize Kitchen Tools Safely
• A Simple Care Schedule
• Common Mistakes to Avoid
• Seido's Position on Accessory Care
• Frequently Asked Questions

Key Takeaways

• Hand wash and dry immediately. Water left on wood, steel, and pivots is the cause of most damage.
• Oil wooden boards and utensils, not on a fixed schedule but when they look dry. Roughly once a month for a board in regular use, using food grade mineral oil.
• Never soak wood. Soaking causes warping and cracking, and it can open the seams of a glued board.
• Take shears apart. If your pair comes apart, wash and dry the blades separately and add a drop of oil to the pivot.
• Sanitize raw-meat tools differently. Plastic boards can go in the dishwasher, and wood should be washed, then wiped with a sanitizing solution.
• Clean the storage too. Knife blocks, drawer trays, and magnetic strips collect crumbs and moisture.
• Do not mix cleaning products. Never combine bleach with vinegar or ammonia.

How to Care for Wooden Cutting Boards

A wooden cutting board is the most care-sensitive accessory most kitchens own, and also the most rewarding to look after.

Daily: Scrape off food, wash with warm water and a little mild dish soap, rinse, and wipe dry. Stand the board on its edge so both faces dry evenly. Dish soap such as Dawn is safe on wood when used briefly and rinsed off.

Monthly, or when it looks dull: Rub a thin coat of food grade mineral oil into the surface, let it soak in for a few hours or overnight, and wipe off the excess. Mineral oil is the standard choice because it does not go rancid. Cooking oils such as olive oil can turn rancid over time and are best avoided.

Should you oil a cutting board after every use? No. Oil when the wood looks pale or dry, which is about once a month for a board in regular use. Over-oiling does not help, and uneven oiling can stress the seams of a glued end grain board.

For stains and odors: Scrub with coarse salt and half a lemon, or a paste of baking soda and water, then rinse and dry.

We keep the full step-by-step on a separate page, so for the detailed wood routine, see our article on how to clean and care for a wooden cutting board. 

How to Care for Plastic and Composite Boards

Plastic boards are easy: wash them in hot, soapy water or run them through the dishwasher. The key is to inspect them. When a plastic board develops deep grooves that hold stains or moisture, it is harder to clean properly, and it is time to replace it. Do not use a plastic board for raw meat and then for produce without washing it in between.

How to Care for Kitchen Shears

Shears get greasy and wet, and they hide residue in the pivot.

1. Wash right after use, especially after raw poultry, with warm soapy water.
2. Take them apart if they have a detachable pivot, and wash each blade separately.
3. Dry completely before reassembly or storage.
4. Add a drop of food-safe oil to the pivot now and then so the action stays smooth.
5. Store them closed, ideally on a magnetic strip or in a drawer slot, with the safety latch on if there is one.

Can you put kitchen shears in the dishwasher? Some are labeled dishwasher safe, but heat and detergent are hard on pivots and handles, and hand washing is the safer habit.

Does vinegar clean scissors? Wiping blades with diluted vinegar can remove residue and light stains, but rinse and dry them afterwards, because acid left on steel can cause spotting. For more, see our kitchen shears guide.

How to Care for Kitchen Utensils

Wooden spoons and spatulas: Wash by hand, dry upright, and rub with mineral oil when they feel rough. Keep them out of the dishwasher and out of standing water, and replace them if they crack.

Silicone and plastic utensils: Dishwasher safe in most cases. Check the heat rating before leaving them in a hot pan.

Stainless steel utensils: Dishwasher safe and durable. Dry them if you want to avoid water spots.

Is baking soda good for cleaning utensils? Yes. A paste of baking soda and water lifts stains and odors from wood, plastic, and stainless steel without scratching.

Cast iron pans: Wash with hot water and a brush, dry immediately on a burner, and wipe with a thin layer of oil. Avoid soaking, and use only a little mild soap if you use any at all.

How to Care for Knife Storage

Storage is part of the system, and it gets dirty too.

• Magnetic strips and bars: Wipe with a damp cloth and dry. Check the mounting screws once or twice a year.
• Knife blocks: Turn the block upside down to shake out crumbs, wash the slots with a bottle brush and warm soapy water, and let it dry completely before use. We cover the full process in our guide on how to clean a knife block.
• Drawer trays and sheaths: Wipe clean and let them air out. Do not put a wet knife in a sheath.
• Roll bags: Unroll and air out after use, and spot clean the fabric.

For more on choosing the right option, see our guide to kitchen organization and storage solutions.

How to Sanitize Kitchen Tools Safely

Washing removes food. Sanitizing reduces what is left. For tools that touch raw meat, do both.

1. Wash first with hot, soapy water. Sanitizer does not work well on a dirty surface.
2. Sanitize with a mild solution: about a tablespoon of unscented household bleach per gallon of water, left on for a minute or two, or white vinegar wiped on and rinsed.
3. Rinse and air dry.

What items should not be cleaned with vinegar? Cast iron seasoning, natural stone, and unsealed wood that you will soak all suffer from acid. Never mix vinegar with bleach, which releases toxic gas.

How do you sanitize kitchen tools and equipment? Wash, sanitize with a diluted bleach solution or run them through a dishwasher with a hot or sanitize cycle, and air dry.

What is the easiest way to clean cooking utensils? Rinse right after use and wash with hot, soapy water before the food dries on.

A Simple Care Schedule

What is a 1-minute rule for keeping the kitchen cleaner? If a task takes under a minute, such as rinsing a pan or wiping a spill, do it right away. It keeps tools from sitting wet and food from drying on.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Soaking wooden boards or handles. Water gets into the grain and the seams.
• Putting good tools in the dishwasher out of habit. Heat and detergent dull edges and strip finishes.
• Using the wrong oil. Olive and vegetable oils can go rancid on wood.
• Storing tools wet. Moisture is behind rust, mold, and warped boards.
• Using one board for everything. Raw meat and produce need separate boards.
• Ignoring the storage. A dirty block undoes the work of cleaning the knives.

Seido's Position on Accessory Care

Our accessories come with simple care instructions, and the routine is short. The acacia end grain cutting board should be hand washed in warm water with mild soap, air dried, and treated with food grade mineral oil about monthly. It is not dishwasher safe. Our kitchen shears are hand-wash only and should be dried immediately, with a drop of food-safe oil on the pivot for the Master 4" pair. Our walnut saya sheaths and roll bags should only ever hold dry knives.

What you're giving up: Premium wood and steel accessories ask more of you than plastic and dishwasher-safe tools do. If you want zero maintenance (albeit compromised longevity), plastic boards and all-steel shears are the better fit.

The honest assessment: Care is cheaper than replacement. The few minutes a week it takes to look after a board and a pair of shears pays for itself.

Browse Seido's kitchen accessories →

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I properly care for my wooden kitchen utensils? Wash by hand, dry right away, and oil lightly when the wood looks dry. Keep them out of the dishwasher and out of standing water.

Can I rub olive oil on my wooden cutting board? It is better not to. Olive oil can turn rancid. Use food grade mineral oil or a board conditioner made from mineral oil and wax.

Is Dawn dish soap safe for wood cutting boards? Yes, for a quick wash. Use a small amount, rinse well, dry the board promptly, and re-oil when it looks dry.

Should you oil a cutting board after every use? No. Oil about once a month, or whenever the board looks pale or feels dry.

What is the best type of oil to use on cutting boards? Food grade mineral oil is the standard because it does not spoil. Blends with beeswax add a protective finish.

Can kitchen shears be sharpened? Yes. Separate the blades if you can, and sharpen each along its bevel on a fine stone, or use a pull-through tool with a scissor slot.

Can you put kitchen shears in the dishwasher? Only if the maker says so, and even then hand washing is gentler on the pivot and handles.

What is the middle part of kitchen shears for? The serrated notch near the pivot grips bones, nuts, and bottle caps.

Does vinegar clean scissors? It can remove light residue and stains, but rinse and dry afterwards so the acid does not spot the steel.

Is baking soda good for cleaning utensils? Yes. A paste of baking soda and water lifts stains and odors from most utensils without scratching.

How do I disinfect my kitchen utensils? Wash with hot, soapy water first, then sanitize with a diluted bleach solution or a hot dishwasher cycle, and let them air dry.

What is the best thing to clean your tools with? Hot water, mild dish soap, and a soft brush or sponge handle most kitchen tools. Add baking soda for stains.

How do you take care of tools and equipment? Clean them after every use, dry them completely, store them where air can circulate, and oil wooden pieces as needed.

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Related reading from Seido Knives:
Kitchen Accessories: The Complete Guide →
A Complete Guide to Cutting Boards →
A Complete Guide to Kitchen Shears & Scissors →
Kitchen Organization & Storage Solutions →
Care & Maintenance for Your Chef Knife Set →
Japanese Knife Care: Complete Maintenance Guide →
Shop Seido Kitchen Accessories →