Wooden Bowls Are Easy to Restore and Maintain

In an effort not to damage wood bowls or other wood serving items or utensils, many people tend to be overly careful about not soaking them in water or scrubbing them too vigorously with soap and water, fearing they will dry out the wood. Consequently, I have seen many wooden bowls and utensils at flea markets and yard sales that are a bit sticky to the touch; inside or outside (often the reason people are trying to get rid of them).

Fortunately, there is an easy fix for your problem. Simply immerse the bowl in warm water and dish soap. Scrub the dampened newspaper off with a nylon scrubber sponge, rinse thoroughly with hot water, and dry immediately with an absorbent dish towel. If the exterior of the bowl still feels a little tacky or sticky when dried, scrub the outside surface again in HOT water and dish soap, rinse thoroughly with hot water.

After the dried bowl has been allowed to air-dry for an hour or two, the interior or exterior may seem a little dried out from the scrubbing. If so, use some fine steel wool (No. 0000) and mineral oil to gently "scrub" the bowl inside and out. Then buff it vigorously with a soft, clean rag. The idea is to get a little of the Bowl and Board Rub oil worked into the surface of the wood to make it less absorbent of water and oils. The wood should end up with a nice glow. But if it's shiny, greasy/slippery to the touch or sticky, you need to keep buffing a bit more.

Cleaned thoroughly after each use and oiled and buffed occasionally, your bowl should hold for another century or two or longer.