If you’ve just bought yourself some bamboo plates or are looking into getting some, and need to know how to care for your bamboo plates, you’re in the right place!
When cared for properly, bamboo plates will last a life time; however, they are not immortal, if they are not properly cared for their condition will deteriorate, no matter how strong and resilient the material is. Bamboo makes a great material for plates, especially for our little ones because it is a shatterproof, extremely durable material that involves no chemicals or toxins in its construction. There's not even any harsh procedures to procure the bamboo because the sheath will naturally fall of the tree and then it will be collected. Bamboo is a biodegradable, sustainable resource, thus, are a much better alternative to plastic, which happens to be one of the worst contributors to world pollution.
How to care for bamboo plates
Regular cleaning
’How to care for bamboo plates’ makes it seem like there is a long, complicated process to maintaining them, but as a matter of fact, bamboo is a naturally anti-bacterial material so only a soapy hand wash is needed to clean them.
It’s recommended that you clean the plates straight after use, wash them in warm soapy water with a soft sponge – but do not soak the bamboo plate for too long; bamboo is a porous material so when exposed to lots of water it will trap the moisture which will weaken it. Once it’s washed, ensure to rinse all the soap off and leave it to dry thoroughly before storing it away.
Removing stains & odours
If you’ve read a little about how to care for bamboo plates already, you will have probably come across the comment that bamboo plates can retain stains and odours – this is true, however it is easily resolved at home without using any harsh chemicals.
Baking soda:
Mix baking soda with soap and water, scrub the stain using this mixture, let it sit for a minute, then rinse with water and dry thoroughly. Baking soda cleans and deodorises bamboo so your plates should be back to looking good.
Lemon:
You can either squeeze lemon juice into your baking soda mix, scrub and wash it, or use just lemon juice directly on the stain. Lemon juice is great at deodorising materials, so this is certainly the trick to try if you’re worried about a lingering smell.
Vinegar:
Is any ‘how to care for…’ guide complete without the mention of vinegar? Pour vinegar onto the stained area, scrub with a clean cloth and then rinse it off with water and your bamboo plate should be as good as new.
Regular maintenance
As with all good things in life, bamboo plates take a bit of nurturing – easy and simple nurturing, but if you want to know how to care for bamboo plates to get the full benefits, know that regular maintenance is your new friend.
We recommend every 4 weeks polishing your bamboo plates, or if they start to look discoloured or dry. With natural materials, you want to use natural products to care for them, this means using products like coconut oil, beeswax, and vegetable oil. You will need to spread the oil across the bamboo plate with a cloth, then let it sit for a few hours, even overnight, and then wipe off any excess oil so it doesn’t get sticky or greasy.
See, simple stuff to care for bamboo plates.
Usage
Knowing how to care for bamboo plates isn’t only about cleaning and polishing but the day-to-day use as well; no matter how durable something is, if it is repeatedly dropped, knocked, or used incorrectly it will weaken overtime.
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Don’t put bamboo plates in the microwave: heat your food in a microwave safe container and then transfer it onto the bamboo dish.
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Store your bamboo plates in dry conditions where air circulates.
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Natural bamboo darkens overtime, so don’t fret when this happens – we think it adds to their chic style.
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If a bamboo plate becomes sticky, use lemon juice to remove any residue.
This is a really simple and easy guide on how to care for bamboo plates, but it captures everything you need to know and do to reap the many benefits of using bamboo plates. If you are still deciding whether it is a path you want to take, bamboo is certainly the way forward – both its environmental benefits and health benefits are undeniable. If you want to know more about bamboo tableware for your little ones then check out this blog for more information.
We hope this has helped you understand how to care for bamboo plates, we’d love to see any snaps you’ve got with your bamboo tableware, so tag us on Instagram @tiny.dining!
As always, thanks for reading,
Love, Poppy, and the Tiny Dining Team