How to clean a pizza peel

After every pizza session

Let the peel cool if it has been near the oven. Tap off loose flour over the bin. Use a plastic dough scraper or bench knife to lift any dried dough. Then wipe both sides with a damp cloth. For most sessions, that is all a peel needs.

Do not scrape a wooden peel with a metal blade held at a steep angle, as it can gouge the surface. Hold the scraper flat and push gently.

Cleaning a wooden peel

If there is sauce, cheese or oil on the blade, use a cloth with a drop of mild washing-up liquid in warm water. Wipe, then rinse the cloth and wipe again with clean water. Stand the peel upright to air dry, away from a radiator or direct sun. Drying flat traps moisture on one side and can cause a bow.

Never soak a wooden peel, never run it through the dishwasher and never leave it standing in water. Wood swells unevenly when wet and can split along glue lines or the grain.

1. 1

   Let the peel cool.

2. 2

   Scrape off dried dough with a plastic scraper held flat.

3. 3

   Wipe with a cloth and a little mild soapy water.

4. 4

   Wipe again with clean water.

5. 5

   Dry with a tea towel, then stand upright to air dry fully.

Oiling and removing stains

Every few weeks, or when the wood looks pale and dry, rub in a thin coat of food-safe mineral oil or a board oil made for chopping boards. Leave it overnight and wipe off the excess. Avoid cooking oils such as olive or sunflower, which can turn rancid and sticky.

For stains or smells, sprinkle coarse salt on the blade and rub with half a lemon, then wipe and dry. For rough patches, a light sand with fine sandpaper along the grain, followed by oil, brings the surface back. Do not sand a laminated or composite peel.

Cleaning a metal peel

Solid and perforated aluminium or steel peels are easy. Wash in warm soapy water with a soft sponge, rinse and dry. Check your peel's instructions: some anodised aluminium peels should not go in the dishwasher, as detergents can dull or mark the finish.

For perforated peels, use a soft brush to clear flour from the holes. If cheese has baked on, soak only the metal blade in warm soapy water for a few minutes, then brush. Keep wooden or rubber handles out of the water.

Storing a peel

Hang the peel by its handle or store it upright, so air reaches both faces. Keep wooden peels indoors over winter: damp sheds and garages cause mould and warping. A wall hook near the back door is handy in summer.

Fewer cleaning problems start with less flour. A little semolina or rice flour is enough for launching; heaps of plain flour burn on the stone and cake on the peel. See pizza sticking to the peel and wooden vs metal pizza peel. For the oven itself, how to clean a pizza stone covers the next step.

When to replace a peel

Replace a wooden peel if it has a crack through the blade, a split along a glue line or a warp that stops it lying flat on the stone. Replace a metal peel if the blade is bent so it catches on the stone, or the handle has worked loose. A damaged peel makes launching harder and can drop a pizza.

Looking for an oven to go with a new peel? Our best outdoor pizza ovens guide compares the main types.

Frequently asked questions

Can you put a wooden pizza peel in the dishwasher? No. Heat and water make the wood swell, warp and split. Wipe it by hand.

What oil should I use on a wooden peel? Food-safe mineral oil or chopping board oil. Avoid cooking oils that turn rancid.

Should you wash a pizza peel with soap? A little mild soap on a cloth is fine. Rinse the residue off with a clean damp cloth so it does not taint the dough.

How do I get burnt cheese off a metal peel? Soak just the blade in warm soapy water for a few minutes, then use a soft brush or non-scratch sponge.