How to Clean a Bamboo Steamer

Co-authored by wikiHow Staff

There are several ways to clean your bamboo steamer. The main way is to rinse or soak it in the sink. You might be able to clean it using a dishwasher, too. Don’t use rough steel wool or other cleaning aids when cleaning your bamboo steamer. Consult your bamboo steamer’s instruction manual to determine the best way to clean it.

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Rinsing and Soaking Your Bamboo Steamer

1
Rinse with soapy water. Place a large pot in your sink. Fill with warm water. Drizzle a bit of liquid soap into the pot. Mix the soap and water until bubbles are visible. Rinse the bamboo steamer in this soapy water, then remove it and allow it to air-dry.^{[1]
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- Bamboo is an extremely porous wood, and might absorb detergent or dishwashing liquid mixed into the water used to clean it. This could cause steamer to exude a soapy stench during subsequent use. Therefore, check manufacturer directions before rinsing with soapy water.^{[2]
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2
Soak the bamboo in hot water. Fill a pot large enough to accommodate your bamboo steamer with hot water. Place your bamboo steamer in the pot. Allow it to soak overnight, or at least eight hours. Remove the pot and allow it to air dry after the time has elapsed.^{[3]
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- Some bamboo steamers might not be able to endure a hot-water soaking.^{[4]
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  Research source} Consult manufacturer directions for information regarding whether a hot water soaking is appropriate to clean your bamboo steamer.
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3
Rinse the steamer in clean water. Water that is warm or hot will work best. Turn the faucet on and run your bamboo steamer beneath it. As the water trickles over the surface of the bamboo steamer, turn it over in your hands, allowing all the outer and inner surfaces to get rinsed.^{[5]
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- Place the bamboo steamer on the rack to dry.

Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Removing Tough Grime and Odor

1
Use a nylon scrubber to remove caked-on bits. If your bamboo steamer is still not clean even after receiving a black tea rubdown and a rinse with soapy water, use a nylon scrubber to gently scrub the areas of the steamer that are unclean.^{[6]
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- Do not use steel wool or other abrasive kitchen aids to clean your bamboo steamer.
2
Clean and rejuvenate your steamer with a black tea bag. The tannic acid in black tea will clean and rejuvenate your bamboo steamer. After soaking a black tea bag, gently run it along the surface of your bamboo steamer. Don’t use too much force or the fragile tea bag will tear, spilling the saturated tea leaves within.^{[7]
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3
Rub the bamboo steamer with a lemon. If you steamed fish in your bamboo steamer, you can easily remove the fishy stench by rubbing a lemon across its surface. Cut a lemon into four equally sized wedges. Rub one wedge across the surface of the bamboo steamer.^{[8]
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4
Use the dishwasher with caution. Some bamboo steamers are too fragile to withstand the high pressures of the dishwasher. Other bamboo steamers, however, might benefit from a heavy-duty cleaning in the dishwasher.^{[9]
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- Consult your bamboo steamer’s user guide for more information regarding whether or not placing the steamer in the dishwasher is a possibility, and whether you need to use a certain kind of detergent – or no detergent at all.

Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Caring for Your Steamer

1
Coat the steamer in oil after each washing. To keep your bamboo steamer from drying out after washing, dab a piece of paper towel with cooking oil. Run the oiled paper towel along the outer and inner surfaces of the bamboo steamer.^{[10]
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- Any cooking oil will do (for instance, vegetable oil or olive oil).
2
Soak the steamer before use. Before using your bamboo steamer, soak it for about 20 minutes. This will prevent the bamboo from burning during use.^{[11]
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- Soaking might not be appropriate for your bamboo steamer.^{[12]
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  Research source} Consult manufacturer directions for information regarding whether soaking is warranted to prevent burning your steamer before use.
3
Don’t place food directly on the bamboo. Your bamboo steamer will require more cleaning if you place food directly on its lattice surface. Instead, cut a piece of parchment paper to a size that your bamboo steamer can accommodate and place the food you want to steam on that. Alternately, place a heatproof plate on the steamer lattice, then place the food you wish to steam on the plate.^{[13]
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- Ensure that any plate or parchment paper has a border of open space around its perimeter that will allow the steam to rise and envelop whatever you’re trying to steam.

Community Q&A

Question

I cleaned the steamer as you advised and put it to dry in a warm oven. But it still smells of mould?

Sargasso Ames

Community Answer

Toss it. If it becomes moldy, then it is no longer safe for use. To prevent this from happening in the future, dry the steamer immediately and store in a dry location.
Question

Can I use aluminum paper?

Sargasso Ames

Community Answer

Yes, you can. However, you need to poke holes in it so the steam can reach the food.