Wooden and bamboo chopsticks are always handy for family meals as they easily pick up food without slipping. However, the hot and humid climate in Vietnam makes them susceptible to mold, which can be a breeding ground for various harmful mold species.
According to PGS.TS Nguyen Duy Thinh, former Head of Food Technology Department, Hanoi University of Technology: “Regarding the chopsticks we use daily, made from aged bamboo, durable wood, or plastic… they can be kept for a long time, but food will stick to them, making it hard to clean thoroughly. People often rinse chopsticks superficially, wiping from the body to the tip, unaware that the tip is where food residue accumulates and is easily overlooked during cleaning. If left in a damp, poorly ventilated environment, mold will grow.”
When wooden or bamboo chopsticks are damp, they can develop various types of mold, and this mold can spread into the kitchen air and attach itself to other foods. Especially for soybeans, mold can produce the toxic Aflatoxin, leading to cancer. In this article, let’s go over some home remedies to remove mold from chopsticks!
1 Use Table Salt
Table salt is an effective mold remover for wooden surfaces. Here’s how:
Now you can continue using your wooden chopsticks without worrying about mold!
For reference: Simple fixes anyone can do
Using Table Salt
2 Baking Soda
Baking soda is essentially baking powder with strong cleaning properties, great for household cleaning and disinfecting.
To remove mold from chopsticks using baking soda, you can mix it with hot water and follow the previous method.
Alternatively, combine baking soda with a little lemon juice until it forms a paste. Apply this paste to the moldy chopsticks, sun-dry for 30 minutes, and then rinse with hot water.
Using Baking Soda
3 Hot Water
Hot water is also an effective disinfectant against bacteria and microorganisms that may be present on wooden or bamboo chopsticks.
Simply boil a pot of water (you can add lemon juice or vinegar) and soak the chopsticks for about 10 minutes. Then, sun-dry them until they are completely dry and ready for use.
Using Hot Water
4 Vinegar and Honey
Mix vinegar and honey in a large bowl of water and stir well. Then, soak a clean cloth in the mixture, wring out the excess, and use it to wipe down the moldy wooden chopsticks until they’re dry.
Vinegar effectively removes mold due to its acidic nature, while honey will not only clean but also add a glossy shine to your chopsticks.
To prevent mold from returning, keep these tips in mind during chopstick use and care:
- Always ensure chopsticks are completely dry before storing them.
- Regularly clean the chopstick container to prevent bacterial growth.
- Replace chopsticks every 3-5 months.
For more tips, check out:
Using Vinegar and Honey
We hope these simple tricks help you keep your wooden chopsticks mold-free without having to discard them!.
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