DIY Spoon Butter Wood Conditioner

Have you heard of spoon butter? It’s a simple wood conditioner you can make yourself to prolong the life of wooden household tools such as wooden spoons, cutting boards, dish brushes, etc. When these items get repeated moisture the wood can eventually dry out and split. Spoon butter conditions the wood by adding a protective layer to repel water. I especially like to use it on my bamboo mason jar lid and dish brushes.

There’s no rule on how often you need to apply spoon butter, but I like to do it when the wood starts looking dry and dull.

The brushes on the left have a layer of spoon butter, the brushes on the right are bare.

Spoon Butter Recipe

1 part Beeswax (example: 1 tbsp)
3 parts olive, coconut, or sunflower seed oil (example: 3 tbsp)

Place beeswax and oil in a heat safe glass jar, such as a mason jar. Place the jar in a small saucepan over medium-low heat with a couple inches of water to make a double boiler. Gently mix together (I use a chopstick) as it melts. Once fully melted, safely remove from the saucepan and let cool. Stir a little bit every now and then to make sure the beeswax and oil are fully incorporated. Let cool completely before using.

To use, rub a good amount of spoon butter over your clean wooden items. Let it sit for a few hours or overnight, then gently buff off any excess with a clean, dry towel.