Cutting Board Care and Maintenance

Cleaning

  • You can wash your board lightly with water and even a small amount of soap It’s recommended to wash every side of the board, top bottom and sides, as water can cause warping, and it’s preferable to have warping happen uniformly.
  • Let the board dry completely before oiling. Dry on a rack, not flat on the counter, so that both sides dry evenly and you don’t stress the wood. 
  • If you see stains on your board, lemon juice or white vinegar is a safe way to neutralize them.
  • Never put your board in the dishwasher. Hot water will warp and splinter the wood.
  • Never use bleach as it can stain or dry the wood.

Oiling/waxing

  • Use a food safe mineral oil, such as Walrus Oil, Howard’s Cutting Board oil or similar product. They can typically be found in stores that carry kitchenware or hardware stores.
  • Only apply oil when a board is completely dry. Apply generously and use a small towel to spread it. Let it soak in for at least a few hours.
  • Using a wax conditioner is highly recommended after oiling. These are often made up of a mixture of food safe oils and beeswax, and can usually be found right next to the cutting board oil in the store.
  • Oiling and waxing is recommended at least once a month, depending on how often you use your board. 
  • After the oil and conditioner have both had time to soak in, do some polishing and buffing in a circular motion for best results. This will help keep liquid from soaking into the wood. 

These board may last a lifetime with proper maintenance, and that is our goal with each one that is made.

If you eventually see roughness, cuts or scratches, you can sand those out with a fine grit sandpaper like 220 and apply the proper cleaning and conditioning techniques mentioned above.

Your cutting board is made of natural materials and anomalies and imperfections can and will occur. Wood warps and changes shape and texture over time, this is completely normal. While all of our boards are made to last for many years, they require some ongoing care and maintenance in order to stay in good shape for as long as possible. You may notice after washing you feel a bit of roughness. This is normal. Most boards will never be as perfectly smooth as they were when you bough them, however they are thick enough that you can sand them to your heart’s desire and not make them too thin. Please review washing and care instructions for best results.

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