Maintaining a Cutting Board
Performing regular maintenance on your cutting board is not only easy and key to keeping a sanitary cutting board, but it also keeps it looking new and extends the life of your cutting board. Here are the the few simple steps we recommend for every cutting board we deliver to a customer,
Cleaning and Washing
Begin cleaning your cutting board by washing with soap and warm water. Be sure to scrub well with a non-abrasive cleaning device. The action of scrubbing, and the volume of water used, are more important to flushing the bacteria and stuck on food from your cutting board. Immediately after washing, dry with a towel and set aside to air dry. A raised rack or standing up to provide air flow to both faces of the board is important. Typically a night left to dry (12+ hours) is more than enough to ensure it is dry.
Please do NOT do the following when cleaning.
Do NOT put the board in the dishwasher. The combination of heat and water will cause your board to warp and eventually split, and highly likely to void any warranties.
Do NOT submerge or place in standing water. Doing so allows the board to absorb water and warp.
Do NOT use bleach. Bleach is good for cleaning many surfaces, but when used on wood it would discolor and/or dry out the board.
Do NOT place the board on a flat surface to dry. Allowing one side to dry and not the other will cause the board to warp.
Does your board have stains or a foul smell? Use lemon juice or white vinegar. Both will neutralize the cause of the problem.
Applying Board Oil and Cream for Protection
After allowing your cutting board ample time to dry, the next step is applying board oil and board cream to keep it well maintained (recommendations on each at the end of the article).
Apply your oil directly onto the surface of the cutting board. If this is your first time cleaning, or you notice that the board feels dry, you can be generous with your application. Make sure the surface is dripping wet or that you have a nice puddle formation that you can spread. Using a bar towel or new/dedicated paint brush, you can spread the oil. Regardless of how you spread the oil, it is important to not let it soak up the oil. Otherwise, you’ll be wasting more oil in your method of spread versus on the board. We advise not using your hands for a few reasons, one being accidental splinters.
Once you have the board covered, allow it to sit for a few hours to soak in.. Our recommendation is overnight. Similar to cleaning, let your cutting board sit on a raised rack or standing up to provide air flow to both faces of the board.
The final step for maintaining a healthy cutting board is applying board cream. If you have ever waxed a vehicle, you’ll find this process to be very similar. Once your board is dried from oiling, apply a small amount of cream/wax onto your board. Using a soft cloth, buff the cream/wax in a circular motion. Seek to add a thin coat. This process should be done to the each surface of your board, especially the sides. Unlike prior steps, the cream/wax does not need to soak it.
Additional Tips
Best recommendation is a monthly cleaning, oiling, and application of cream/wax. Regardless of use.
Be sure to check your cutting boards monthly to ensure they don’t dry out, if you are not using and/or cleaning regularly.
We highly recommend applying board cream/wax at the same time as oiling.
We do NOT recommend the use of vegetable, corn, olive, peanut, or other plant based/cooking oils as a protectant. These oils do not provide the same level of protection, as well as will oxidize and eventually begin to smell.
We do NOT recommend the use of mineral oil that is not rated as food safe. These are meant to be used as an industrial lubricant.
Recommended Products
Below are a few products we recommend, which can be found at Lowe’s, Home Depot, Menards, and on Amazon.
Howard Products, Cutting Board Oil | Learn More
Howard Products, Butcher Block Conditioner | Learn More