How to clean and oil wood-handled tools?

Cleaning your tools with wooden handles:

You should always wash your wooden items by hand in warm water using a mild detergent and then dry them thoroughly with a towel. Do not completely immerse your wooden items in water and NEVER put your wooden items in the dishwasher. The harsh detergents and high heat in the dishwasher can remove the oils in the wood and may cause cracking or warping.

Sanitizing your wooden handles:

After cleaning and drying your wooden items, wipe them down with white vinegar to sanitize them and let them air dry. Some suggest wiping down wooden items using a dilution of 1 tablespoon of bleach per 1 gallon of water to sanitize them. However, this is not as effective as white vinegar because the organic composition of some hardwoods neutralizes the disinfectant quality of bleach.

How often you should oil your wooden handles?

You should oil your wooden handles often to keep them from drying out and to maintain the sheen. When your wooden items are new, it is best to oil them once a week for the first month and then as needed when they start to look dry. If you allow your wooden items to become dry they may begin to crack or warp.