How To Clean a Sticky or Buttery Pastry Brush After Your Next Baking Session

Shifrah Combiths
Shifrah Combiths
With five children, Shifrah is learning a thing or two about how to keep a fairly organized and pretty clean house with a grateful heart in a way that leaves plenty of time for the people who matter most. Shifrah grew up in San Francisco, but has come to appreciate smaller town life in Tallahassee, Florida, which she now calls home. She's been writing professionally for twenty years and she loves lifestyle photography, memory keeping, gardening, reading, and going to the beach with her husband and children.
published Feb 13, 2022
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Cleaning pastry brush
Credit: Sarah Crowley

A breakfast of homemade, melt-in-your-mouth buttery scones or a flaky pie crust topped with a mountain of berries sounds just about right for a lazy Sunday. But to start preparing either of these delicious treats, you might need to whip out a pastry brush. This

tool

While you most likely have a method that runs on autopilot to clean your daily cooking utensils, you may find yourself wondering how you’re actually supposed to clean a pastry brush once you’re done using it. Bristles can hang onto sticky egg whites and melted butter goo. If your brush has a wooden handle, you can’t exactly toss it in the dishwasher. And, because the brush is used directly on food, it’s especially important that you take the time to clean and dry it thoroughly. 

In fact, bristles that aren’t completely dry may actually run the risk of growing mold — and certainly you don’t want that brushed on your pretty pastries! And that brings us to this post. Here’s a step-by-step guide to show you how to easily clean a pastry brush and make sure its totally dry before you put it away.

Related: How To Make the Best Buttery Scones

Credit: Sarah Crowley
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Rinse the brush under the faucet: Gather the necessary cleaning supplies (small bowl, dish soap, towel, small glass jar, and coarse salt) and then rinse the pastry brush under running water to dislodge as much food as possible. 

What You Need

Instructions

  1. Rinse the brush under the faucet: Gather the necessary cleaning supplies (small bowl, dish soap, towel, small glass jar, and coarse salt) and then rinse the pastry brush under running water to dislodge as much food as possible. 
  2. Swish the brush in a bowl of warm, soapy water: Fill a small bowl with warm water and a few drops of dish soap. Swish the brush around in the water. Move the brush around, pressing it gently against the bottom and sides of the bowl. This will allow water and soap to clean all around the bristles and to reach the inner bristles too. 
  3. Rinse to remove soap, agitating bristles as you rinse: Rinse again, and clean the bristles with your fingers to rinse out any soap residue. Be sure to hit the part where the bristles reach the handle. And use a soapy sponge to clean the rest of the handle, too.
  4. Shake dry: Knock the brush gently against the edge of the sink to remove as much water as possible. Be sure to dry off the handle while you’re at it.
  5. Put the brush in a jar with some salt: Set the brush, bristles down, in a small jar. Pour coarse salt, such as kosher salt, into the jar, and allow it to sit so that the bristles are fully submerged. You can lift the brush up a bit so there is salt under the bottom edge of the bristles as well as surrounding it. The salt will help to draw moisture out of the brush. Keep the brush in the salt overnight, or you can opt to store your pastry brush in the salt to keep it dry and fresh between uses. If you find that your brush is starting to shed, stink, or the bristles are melted, you know it’s time to go shopping.

Do you have any tips for maintaining and cleaning a pastry brush? Tell us your ideas in the comments below.

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