Making pizza can not be separated from the use of peels. To make the process of baking pizza more hygienic, you need to know how to clean a wooden pizza peel.
A wooden pizza peel is a kitchen utensil used to transport pizzas in and out of a hot oven. They are made of wood and have a long handle that extends beyond the peel’s main surface which is used to grip the pizza. In some cases, they have an attached cutting board which makes it easier to slice pizza.
The long handle of the wooden pizza peels prevents your hand from coming in contact with the hot surface of the oven. This allows you to slide the pizza into the oven quickly and easily. The flat wooden board is usually around 30 to 80 centimeters in width and 20 to 30 centimeters in length.
It prevents the pizza from being stuck to it and ripping when you take it out of the oven. Also, It’s handy, reusable, and can be made at home if you don’t want to purchase one.
The longer you use a wooden pizza peel, the dirtier it grows and the less effective it becomes. The peel should be clean and smooth in order for the pizza to cook flawlessly. It’s critical to look after your wooden pizza peels if you want your pizzas to taste good.
A wooden pizza peel can last for years if it’s well-cared for and here you’ll learn the steps needed to keep your pizza peels clean and functional for many years.
Contents
Why do you need to clean your wooden pizza peel?
1. It’s for hygiene purposes
Wooden pizza peels g they often carry a lot of dirt, bacteria, and ingredients from preparing pizzas. If you leave this dirt on the surface, you may contaminate the pizza.
2. There are probably some bits of dough or flour on your pizza peel and they are not easy to spot
Wooden peels are porous, so you have to be careful. You do not want dough or flour to ruin the taste of your delicious homemade pizza!
3. Because wooden pizza peels tend to get sticky after repeated use
You need to clean your wooden pizza peel because if you don’t, it will get sticky, which will make it difficult to move the pizza. And even worse, the pizza might stick to it and tear apart when you turn it over. Don’t risk these problems!
How to clean a wooden pizza peel
1. Dishwashing liquid
Dishwashing liquid is one of the best solutions to clean a wooden pizza peel. It is gentle enough that it won’t harm the wood and will effectively remove all sticky residue on the surface of the peel.
Prepare the following materials:
- dishwashing liquid
- a container
- 200 ml of warm water
- a sponge
- a microfiber cloth
To clean it, pour a little bit of dishwashing liquid and 200 ml of warm water into a container to create soapy water. Then, wet your wooden pizza peel with warm water. Dip your sponge into the mixture and use it to wipe to get rid of any dirt or residue. Make sure you scrub it thoroughly from the handle to the end of the board.
Rinse the wooden pizza peel under running water to remove any remaining debris. Wipe the surface with a microfiber cloth until it is dry. Allow it to air dry on a wire rack until ready to use again.
2. Castile liquid soap
Castile liquid soap is a great cleaner. It’s environmentally friendly, non-toxic, and biodegradable. Most people use it to clean their dishes, but you can also use it to clean your wooden pizza peel. Plus, it will leave your wooden peel smelling good.
Prepare the following materials:
- Castile liquid soap
- a container
- 200 ml of warm water
- a sponge
- a microfiber cloth
To start, pour a little bit of liquid soap and warm water into a container. Next, wet your pizza peel with warm water. Then grab your sponge and dip it into the mixture of liquid soap and warm water. Scrub the wooden pizza peel thoroughly from handle to end.
After that, rinse under running water. Wipe it with a microfiber cloth to remove the residue. Let it air dry in the air before using it again.
3. Baking soda
Baking soda is great for cleaning your wooden pizza peel. If your pizza peel gets greasy over time, you can use baking soda to remove the grease and clean it thoroughly.
Prepare the following materials:
- 3 tablespoons of baking soda
- 200 ml of warm water
- a sponge
- a microfiber cloth
To clean the wooden pizza peel, add 2 tablespoons of baking soda to 200 ml of warm water in a container. The baking soda will foam up a little bit when you pour it into the water, which is fine.
Mix them well. Then, wet the wooden pizza peel with water and pour 1 tablespoon of baking soda and it.
Dip the sponge into the mixture and scrub it thoroughly.
Next, rinse the wooden pizza peel under running water to remove the excess. Then, wipe everything away until dry with a microfiber cloth.
4. Lemon juice and salt
Lemon juice and salt are very effective when we clean a wooden pizza peel. Lemon juice contains citric acid, which is acidic and can remove stains caused by tomatoes and oil on the surface of the peel.
It also leaves a nice scent. The salt works as a gentle abrasive, which removes residue through its crystals. This enables them to cleanse surfaces such as your wooden pizza peel without harming it.
Prepare the following materials:
- 200 ml of warm water
- a lemon
- 1 tablespoon of salt
- a sponge
- a microfiber cloth
First, pour 200 ml of warm water into the container. Then, cut the lemon in half and squeeze it into a bowl. Also. add a tablespoon of salt to the mixture. Mix them well.
Then, wet your wooden pizza peel. Dip the sponge into the mixture and wipe the pizza peel vigorously. After that, rinse everything under running water. Last, wipe it with a microfiber cloth.
5. Olive oil
Olive oil is a fine alternative to clean the wooden pizza peel. It gives not only a good touch to cooking but also a good cleaner which you can use to clean the wooden. It will give it a nice surface and make it look clean and shiny.
Prepare the following materials
- olive oil
- a sponge
- a microfiber cloth
Before starting the cleaning, wet your wooden pizza peel with water. Then, pour a bit of olive oil onto the surface. Wipe it gently with a sponge.
Then, rinse under running water. Last, wipe it with a microfiber cloth until dry.
How to maintain your wooden pizza peel
1. Avoid using a harsh cleaner
If you want to keep your wood pizza peel in good condition, then avoid washing it with any harsh chemical, such as bleach or ammonia. When exposed to harsh chemicals, the wood used in your pizza peel will start to deteriorate faster.
2. Always leave it in dry condition
To avoid your pizza peel from breaking, it’s important to keep it dry. After each use, leave the pizza peel in a dry place until you need to use it again. Avoid using hot water to clean the wooden pizza peel and never submerge it in water.
FAQ
Can I use a dishwasher to clean a wooden pizza peel?
Should I oil a wooden pizza peel?
Why did my pizza peel warp?
Conclusion
Cleaning your wooden pieces doesn’t take too much time, however, some people barely do this. Let me summarize how to clean a wooden pizza peel in a nutshell.
- Dishwashing liquid is fine option
- Castile liquid soap gives no risk to your skin
- Baking soda to get rid of stubborn stains
- Lemon juice and salt will get rid the dirt and bad smell
- Olive oil is good alternative
