Hello! I think I may have ruined a bunch of my bannetons. I was about to junk all of these (which is really too bad, since they're not that cheap), but I thought I'd check here first: anyone had any success rehabilitating moldy bannetons? I tried doing a diluted bleach spray & scrub followed by a long time drying in the sun, but it didn't seem to do anything. And now I'm also left wondering about the wisdom of putting bleach on the things that hold my proofing loaves... not THAT interested in poisoning anyone!
Any bright ideas...? For what it's worth, nowadays (after loading doughs into the oven) I immediately take the liners out of the bannetons and wash them, and then leave the just-used bannetons unstacked in a well-ventilated place... hopefully this will be enough to prevent this issue from happening again in the future. :(
Probably the best way is to soak it in a bleach solution but only as a first step as it will not suffice. So with a little bleach in some warm water soak it and then wash it with plain warm water and soap. Don't go too crazy with scrubbing as it'll spoil the banneton. Enough to clean the surface.
Next step would be to heat treat it. 140°F - 160°F for 20 minutes should kill off the mould. That's the science. Only question remains is can a banneton take that temperature for 20 minutes? Don't try it till we're sure. In the meantime you can start off by soaking it in warm water with a little bleach and then cleaning it with soap making sure to wash off all bleach and soap residue properly.
EDIT: Just found this website... https://theepsombakehouse.co.uk/how-to-use-banneton-proofing-baskets-to-rise-your-bread-dough/
Which claims: "Every so often, you can sterilise and deep clean your bannetons in the oven. Heat the oven to a low temperature, around 100C. Put the bannetons in for 10 – 15 minutes, then cool and brush out any dried dough and flour".
So try 100°C (212°F) for at least 20 minutes but keep an eye on it!
I'll definitely try these steps. I suppose -- if I do all of those things and the baskets still *look* bad -- I'll have to decide how to proceed... I'll try to post an update, if I can!
According to his contemporaries that's how Poilane liked it:
Seriously though, I would rinse them with something like peroxide, wash with hot water, and bake them at least 100 °C for as long as you feel comfortable. Depending on the ability of this particular mold to form spores and the resistance of the said spores to elevated temperatures you may be able to kill it off. Or not. I would avoid any cleaner that smells, or at least I would try it on one basket first - a banneton with persistent smell of bleach or Dawn is as good as a moldy one.
Wet till moist, then nuke them for a few minutes. Discoloration Will probably still be there, but nothing live will. Enjoy!
I used a sprayer with a diluted mix of water and bleach, misted the banneton slightly, then let dry and problem solved. Now I try to remember to put the banneton on top of the oven after loading the bread, the residual heat dries it out before the mold has a chance to start. IMO, no need to soak it , just a light mist.
I throw mine in every so often! Had them for 20 odd years now
Wow after all this I would use linen napkins with a heavy amt of rice flour as a lining. Unless it’s important to you to place the dough directly in the basket. If that works you could cut a circle out with an extra inch to fold over to make a casing to run a piece of elastic through. This will make a snug fit easily removed for washing. When measuring tuck the napkin down snug into the basket. If this still doesn’t meet your standards maybe you could mail them to me. I’d appreciate them greatly. Have fun with your newest challenge. 🙂
Hope this helps:
https://sourdough.com/blog/how-care-bannetons
"Correct storage (see below) will reduce the chance of mould occurring.
Mould can be further controlled by:
Usually once I use the banneton, I let it "dry" on top of the stove while the bread is baking below in the oven. The excess heat dries if off completely. I've only washed it twice. And I only dust it with rice flour so it's easy to reuse / redust the leftover all over and store it in the oven when when not in use. :)
- Christi