A good wooden board, spoon or spreader will outlast you if you treat it right. Most of the damage we see comes from water: dishwashers, soaking in the sink, or drying flat on the counter. Here's the routine we use, and what we tell people who buy our boards or make their own from our templates.
The Short Version
- Wash by hand with hot, soapy water right after use.
- Dry it straight away, standing on edge or on a rack.
- Oil it when it looks pale or dry, about once a month.
- Never the dishwasher, never soaking, never left wet.
Don't
- Don't put it in the dishwasher. The heat and water swell the wood, warp and split it, and can open up glue joints.
- Don't soak it or leave it standing in water. The wood soaks it up and warps. The University of Kentucky's advice is never to submerge a board.
- Don't dry it flat. If one face dries faster than the other, the board cups. Stand it on edge or put it on a wire rack.
- Don't use bleach for everyday cleaning. It can stain the wood and dry it out. Soap and hot water is enough for daily use.
- Don't oil it with olive or vegetable oil. They can go rancid in the wood and leave a smell you can't wash out.
Washing and Drying
Wash by hand with hot water and dish soap as soon as you're done, rinse, and towel it off. Then let it finish drying on edge or on a rack so air reaches both faces. Wood is a good surface to eat from: in Dean Cliver's research at UC Davis, bacteria on wooden boards didn't multiply and gradually died, while knife-scarred plastic was very hard to clean by hand.
Oiling and Conditioning
Once the piece is completely dry, give it a coat of food-grade mineral oil or a board butter (mineral oil with beeswax, sometimes carnauba wax). Our Jank Wax is one; Howard Butcher Block Conditioner is another you'll find in most hardware stores.
- Be generous. On a new or very dry board you want every surface wet, including the edges and the bottom.
- Spread it with a lint-free cloth, a small bar towel or a clean brush rather than bare hands, which can pick up splinters on raw edges.
- Let it soak in as long as you can: a few hours at least, overnight is better.
- Wipe off what's left on the surface and stand it on edge to finish.
- For a new, restored or very dry piece, repeat two more times.
After that, oil it again whenever it looks dull or pale or feels dry, which for most kitchens is about once a month. Spreaders and spoons need it more often, since they get washed more.
Stains and Smells
Rub lemon juice or white vinegar straight onto the spot. The acid breaks down the food residue and fats that cause stains and smells. Leave it a few minutes, rinse, dry, and oil once it's dry again.
Spreaders, Spoons and Layered Pieces
The same rules apply, with one more: pieces glued up from layers, like our spreader templates, should never soak. Water at the glue lines is what eventually opens them. Wash, dry and oil them, and they'll last.
Making your own? Which woods, glues and finishes are safe for food, and when a finish has cured enough to use, are covered in our guide to food-safe woods, finishes and glues.
Questions about something you bought from us? Email [email protected].
Frequently Asked Questions
Sources & References
- Plastic and Wooden Cutting Boards (Dean O. Cliver, UC Davis) — copy hosted by Common Sense Home
- Cutting board care — University of Kentucky, Robinson Center
- Food-safe finish considerations — Fine Woodworking
- 21 CFR 172.878: White mineral oil — U.S. Code of Federal Regulations
- Food-Safe Woods, Finishes and Glues — VARØ Industries