Cider/wine press basket repair?

My little cider/wine press has a maple wood basket, that I accidentally ruined, by leaving herbs in, after they were pressed. Stupid, I know, but it was unavoidable, at the time, and the wood became mildewed. I need this press in good working order, because I use it to extract all the liquid out of the medicinal herbal teas I make for John's & my health issues. To head it off at the pass, I'm not looking for/ interested in another way to press the herbs, and I've looked into replacement parts. I need to fix this one, plain and simple.

So, I'm looking for a wood-friendly, food-safe way to kill/ remove the mildew. The basket slats are thin, so not much can be safely sanded away. But, if I sand away what seems safe to, without compromising the strength of the slats, will vinegar be wood-safe to use? Or, is there something else that would be more effective, but still food-safe? Once it's cleaned up, would walnut oil be sufficient, to seal it? (I'm kinda leaning toward making a walnut/beeswax sealant, for more durability.)

Hydrogen Peroxide. It breaks down to water.
If you soak it, keep it totally covered, the peroxide breaks down fast when exposed to air and light. .

I was afraid it would separate the wood to much! This is awesome - thank you!

Carla Burke wrote:I was afraid it would separate the wood to much! This is awesome - thank you!

I wouldn't think so. By the time it's going to do damage, it's water anyway, and doesn't need to be soaking anymore.