Olive wood products are some of the most beautiful and intricate items you can fill your home with. But it’s important to properly care for your products to help them last for years and keep them looking new. So take a look at some of the best methods we use to care for olive wood products!

Wash with mild soap and warm water

When cleaning up after you use olive wood products, make sure to only use mild soap. Dry with a towel immediately and set them aside. Let your utensils dry completely before the next use. 

Here are a few important reminders: Don’t let your olive wood products sit in water for a long time and never put them in the dishwasher! This can damage the natural oils and can make the wood dull and warp under the extreme heat. 

Oil your utensils

Olive wood, olive oil. It goes hand in hand! Your wooden products need oil to help them last!

If you use olive wood products frequently, use fresh and high quality olive oil to treat the wood regularly. Grab a rag, dip it in the oil, and rub it into the wood using circular motions. After letting the oil absorb, repeat this step a few times and allow to dry. Wait until the oil is completely absorbed before you use the utensils! It’s recommended you wait about 12 hours before the next use to make sure the oil has completely absorbed.

If you don’t have olive oil on hand, you can also use some alternatives like refracted coconut oil, beeswax, and even food-grade mineral oil. These oils and waxes each have different consistencies and thicknesses, so make sure to use only what’s necessary to condition your olive wood. 

See the difference between the utensil that has been recently oiled and the other that hasn't. This is really important for preventing cracking and splitting and keeping these beautiful utensils like new.

Sanitize for safety

Even though olive wood products are naturally anti-bacterial, you can still sanitize them. This is recommended when you haven’t used your olive wood products in a while, when there may be a buildup of dirt, dust, bacteria, or anything else you wouldn’t want to touch your food.

Make a solution of hydrogen peroxide and water and submerge your olive wood. Let the products soak for about 5-10 minutes, rubbing the solution into the wood occasionally. Remove the olive wood from the solution, give it a good rinse, wipe off the excess water, and let dry.

Deep clean to eliminate smells

Sometimes olive wood utensils can smell if you aren’t cleaning them properly. So to get rid of that smell, you can use a thick mixture or paste of baking soda and water or you can use lemon juice. Rub in the baking soda mixture and let it sit for about 30 minutes. Rinse thoroughly and dry. If the smell still persists, rub lemon juice into the olive wood, then rinse and dry. 

Olive wood holds great significance in Palestinian culture, with the olive tree being a symbol of steadfastness. The keffiyeh even has designs of olive leaves in its stitching, showing just how meaningful olive trees are to Palestine. So take care of your olive wood utensils and keep them lasting! 

If you’d like some of your very own olive wood utensils made from Palestinian olive trees, check out our collection here!