How to Clean a Wooden Rolling Baton

After using your rolling pin, wash it in hot water. Don’t use soap, which can strip the oils out of the wood. And definitely never allow your rolling pin to sit in water for any amount of time. This will cause the wood to swell, and possibly crack once it’s dried out.

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Don’t ever put a wooden rolling baton in your dishwasher. After washing your rolling baton, dry it completely before storing.

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How to Season a Wooden Rolling Baton

It is often recommended that wooden rolling batons be wiped with food grade mineral oil to create a waterproof seal, to keep pastry from sticking to it, and to keep the wood from drying out. Mineral oil is a distillation product of petroleum, so that’s definitely not something I personally would do or recommend.

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If the wood in your rolling baton appears to be drying out, use an oil that is safe to eat and won’t go rancid. Most vegetable oils or even lard are not appropriate because they do go rancid fairly quickly. Coconut oil, on the other hand, is a very stable oil and does not easily go rancid. It’s is a good alternative to mineral oil for seasoning and protecting your rolling pin.

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Block oil is a product made specifically for oiling wooden utensils like cutting boards and salad bowls, and would be another fine choice for oiling a wooden rolling baton. It contains refined seed oil, lemon oil, vitamin E and carotene, and will not become rancid.

A half teaspoon of oil is plenty to rub on the surface of your pin. Wipe off all excess oil with a soft clean cloth. You shouldn’t need to do this often; it’s only necessary if the wood appears to be drying out.

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Keep these tips in mind if you have other wooden items in your kitchen. Each of them holds true for cutting boards, salad bowls and wooden spoons as well.