How to Care for Your Banneton Liner and Cloth

Your banneton liner (the linen cloth that fits inside the basket) is one of the most useful tools in your sourdough kit — but it needs proper care to work well and last for years. Treated correctly, a good linen liner becomes more non-stick over time as it seasons with flour. Treated poorly, it can mould, tear, or start sticking to dough. Here's everything you need to know.

First Use — Seasoning the Liner

Before using your liner for the first time, season it:

1. Dampen the liner slightly with water — just enough to make it moist, not wet.
2. Dust generously with rice flour. Use rice flour specifically, not wheat flour — it stays coarser and creates a better non-stick surface.
3. Rub the rice flour into the fabric with your fingers until it's well coated.
4. Shake out any excess and place it in the banneton ready to use.

With each subsequent bake, the liner builds up a layer of seasoning that makes dough release more reliably.

After Each Bake — Basic Care

1. Shake out any loose flour and dough residue immediately after removing the loaf.
2. Leave the liner out to air-dry completely at room temperature. Do not put it away damp — this causes mould.
3. Optional: briefly dry in a warm oven. After you remove the baked loaf, place the banneton and liner in the switched-off oven (still warm but cooling) for 10–15 minutes. The residual heat drives out moisture without damaging the linen.
4. Once fully dry, store in the banneton with the liner inside, in a dry place with good airflow.

How Often to Wash the Liner

The liner doesn't need to be washed after every bake — in fact, overwashing removes the seasoning you've built up. A well-used liner that looks "dirty" with dried flour is working correctly. Wash it only:

• If visible mould has developed
• If the liner has an off smell
• If dough has started sticking despite adequate flouring
• Every 6–12 months as general maintenance

How to Wash the Liner

1. Hand wash only in cool or lukewarm water — no soap, no detergent. Soap residue can interact with the dough's culture on subsequent bakes.
2. Alternatively, machine wash on a cold, gentle cycle with no detergent.
3. Rinse thoroughly until water runs clear.
4. Reshape while damp and hang to dry completely — do not tumble dry. High heat can shrink natural linen.
5. Once bone dry, re-season with rice flour before the next bake.

Preventing Mould

Mould on a banneton liner is always caused by inadequate drying. Linen is a natural fibre that holds moisture — and if stored before fully dry, mould develops quickly. The fix is always the same: dry completely before storing.

If mould appears:

1. Brush off any visible mould with a dry brush
2. Hand wash in cool water, rinse thoroughly, dry completely in a warm spot or in the oven
3. Re-season with rice flour before using again

If mould is severe or recurring, replace the liner. Replacement liners are available in our bakeware maintenance range.

Using the Liner vs Using the Bare Basket

The liner gives more reliable dough release, particularly for wet doughs or doughs with inclusions (seeds, nuts). The bare basket produces the characteristic spiral pattern on the crust but requires more careful flouring. Both methods produce excellent bread — choose based on what you're baking and how much you care about the surface pattern.

Browse our full range of banneton baskets and our Banneton Basket Guide for more on choosing and using your basket.