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Wooden chopsticks are always the preferred choice for Vietnamese families due to their safety and environmental friendliness. However, when newly purchased, wooden chopsticks often have a strong, pungent odor as well as residues of new wood that can be harmful to health. So, what should you do with newly purchased chopsticks to ensure health safety? Let's explore how to handle and preserve chopsticks without worrying about mold with Mytour Blog.
What to do with newly purchased chopsticks?
When you bring home new wooden chopsticks, it's best not to use them right away because the fresh wood residue on the chopsticks can affect the user's health. So, what should you do with newly purchased chopsticks? To clean newly purchased chopsticks, you can use warm water diluted with salt, as salt not only effectively cleanses but is also safe for health.
Simple steps to clean newly purchased chopsticks are as follows:
- Step 1: Put salt in a pot and boil for about 5 - 7 minutes.
- Step 2: Place the chopsticks in hot saltwater to soak for about 5 - 10 minutes.
- Step 3: Remove and air dry, preferably directly under sunlight. Once dry, you can use them immediately.
How to preserve wooden chopsticks without worrying about mold
In addition to handling newly purchased chopsticks, many people are interested in learning how to preserve these cooking utensils to prevent mold. Here are some methods for preserving chopsticks that you can consider:
Handling newly purchased chopsticks
What to do with newly purchased chopsticks to prevent mold? You should apply mold prevention methods as soon as you bring them home, both to clean the chopsticks and to reduce the appearance of mold. You can soak the chopsticks in hot water and salt, air dry them, and then use them.
Prefer using antibacterial dishwashing liquid
Soaking chopsticks in dishwashing water is a familiar method that many families apply. Some believe it effectively kills bacteria, but certain dishwashing products contain a lot of phosphates, encouraging mold formation.
Therefore, to ensure health safety, you should prioritize using quality antibacterial dishwashing water with natural ingredients, helping to prevent mold, eliminate bacteria, and extend the lifespan of chopsticks.
Avoid soaking chopsticks in water for too long
Apart from learning what to do with newly purchased chopsticks, you should also understand how to use and preserve them. Most Vietnamese families use wooden chopsticks, so prolonged exposure to water can create conditions for the growth of mold and harmful bacteria. Moreover, this habit can make the chopsticks dull, brittle, affecting the product's durability. Therefore, you should avoid soaking chopsticks in water for too long to protect health and prolong their lifespan.
Air dry chopsticks outside in sunlight
After cleaning wooden chopsticks with water and natural soap, place them on a rack and leave them under direct sunlight. This will help the chopsticks dry quickly, minimize the chance of mold, and save time.
If the weather is unfavorable and there's no sunlight, you should place the chopsticks in a cool, ventilated place or use fire to quickly dry them. Particularly, avoid placing chopsticks in damp areas as this can facilitate the growth of bacteria and mold.
Clean the chopstick holder
In addition to keeping wooden chopsticks clean, the chopstick holder also needs to be regularly cleaned. If the chopstick holder is not carefully cleaned, it can become an ideal environment for the growth of mold and bacteria.
At the same time, choosing a chopstick holder with drainage holes helps improve ventilation and makes the environment safer. You should regularly clean the chopstick holder, typically once a week, to minimize the risk of mold and ensure the health of your family.
Regularly replace chopsticks
Many families often keep using the same chopsticks for years without replacing them, feeling that the chopsticks are still usable. However, this is a misconception because after prolonged use, the safety level significantly decreases, becoming a potential health hazard.
Manufacturers recommend replacing chopsticks every 3 - 6 months to avoid mold and ensure health safety.
Frequently Asked Questions
Every week, you can boil the chopsticks in boiling water combined with lemon or vinegar to kill bacteria and help the chopsticks stay clean, preventing mold. However, you should avoid soaking the chopsticks in water for too long.
Above are the insights to help you understand what to do with newly purchased chopsticks as well as how to preserve wooden chopsticks without mold. Hopefully, these useful tips will help you maintain the freshness of wooden chopsticks in your family. Don't forget to visit the e-commerce platform Mytour to purchase household items, kitchen utensils... of the best quality at the best prices.
