Posts on Clarks Condensed contain affiliate links, which I earn a small commission from. These are provided for your convenience, and the price isn't increased at all.
Learn how to treat your wood cutting board so it will retain its life for years to come. Find out how to store, wash, dry, and store a wooden cutting board.
I remember in high school, one of my friends told me that her mom said that everyone needs a high-quality wood cutting board. I remember thinking, “Weird. Not the first thing that comes to mind when I think of ‘must-have kitchen item.'” However, I totally get it now.
Not only are they sturdy and can last for many decades, but they just look nice. We’ve acquired a few over the years, and I feel like they are some of our most prized kitchen items. They even make their way into about half of our pictures on this blog.
While plastic cutting boards are cheaper and generally work fine, they aren’t meant to last forever. If you’ve seen a plastic cutting board that has been using for a while, it’s full of cuts and perhaps even miscolored a little bit. However, with a nice wooden cutting board, it’s something that actually just looks better with time — you could even pass it down to your family. And honestly, you can have the best knives in the world, but if you don’t have a quality cutting board, you might as well not have good knives!
Wood cutting boards are made out of natural materials, which means they will wear down over time. It is important to know how to properly care for your wood cutting board in order to make it last.
The wooden cutting board is an expensive kitchen essential. But without proper care, it can become scratched, hard, and fall apart entirely. Follow these tips to make your wood cutting board last for years!
Table Of Contents
show
- First: Why Wood Cutting Boards
- Types of oil for cutting boards :
- How often do you need to use the oil on the cutting board
- Supplies
- Instructions:
- Removing unpleasant smells from wood cutting board
- How to Sanitize Wood Cutting Board
- Best Wood Cutting Boards
- How to Increase the Life of Wood Cutting Board
- Is it necessary to finish a wooden cutting board?
- How to Store Wood Cutting Boards
- More Cleaning Posts You Might Enjoy:
First: Why Wood Cutting Boards
There are two types of cutting boards, wood and plastic. There are pros and cons to each type. Wood is more expensive but it will last much longer than a plastic board which costs less. The edges on a plastic cutting board will wear down and become very sharp, which can be dangerous when using them. I prefer wood because it doesn’t get as hard or brittle over time like the edges of a plastic board.
Wood cutting boards are not only great for chopping vegetables, but they also help to protect your knives. Wood is a natural material that will maintain the edge of your blade and prevent it from getting dull.
Wood cutting boards are a safer option than plastic because they will not scratch your knives or dull them as easily as some other materials do.
They also are less likely to harbor bacteria and mold than other materials like plastic or bamboo; this is because the surface of a wooden board has small pores that trap liquids and prevent them from seeping into the wood. Wood also has natural antibacterial properties, and it’s easier to clean than other materials like plastic or bamboo because you can just use soap and water.
Types of oil for cutting boards :
Mineral – Oil: This type of oil is the most expensive and can’t be used for cooking because it’s not edible or healthy. The good thing is that it lasts a long time, but the downside is that you have to keep buying it over and over again.
-Olive oil: This type of oil is great for cutting boards because it penetrates deep into the wood and protects against bacteria. It’s also healthy, so you can cook with it, too.
-Vegetable oil: This type of oil is the most popular and very cheap, but it doesn’t last as long as other oils like olive or mineral. If you want to use vegetable oil, make sure to buy it in bulk.
-Coconut Oil –
It may be tempting to use a cheaper oil, such as vegetable or canola oil, but the smell of them will ingrain itself into the board, making it smell strongly of either of those oils. The cutting board oil we bought was about 9 dollars, but after using it several times, it doesn’t even look like we used it. It should last you a long time, especially since you won’t need to use it every time.
How often do you need to use the oil on the cutting board
You really only need a few minutes each monthto do the in-depth maintenanceto keep them looking nice. If you use them very frequently, you might want to treat them more than that, and if you don’t use them much at all, you could probably get away with more than a month. However, wood cutting boards should be cleaned off with hot, soapy water after every use. Make sure to not put them in the dishwasher, pat them as dry as you can with a dish cloth, and then let them dry the rest of the way.
Supplies
- Salt and Lemon (or baking soda)
- Butcher Block and Cutting Board Oil(we bought ours at Home Depot)or another compatible oil
- Clean dish cloth
Instructions:
1. Place about a teaspoon of salt directly onto a cutting board. You can either put about a tablespoon of lemon juice on top of the salt or use half of a lemon to spread the salt around.
2. Spread the salt around with the lemon (or if you use lemon juice + water, use a clean wash cloth), making sure to get all nooks and crannies of the board scrubbed well with it. The lemon and salt act as an anti-bacterial and helps get rid of anybacteria that may be lingering from the more frequent cleanings.
3. Wash off all the salt and lemon with warm water.
4. Using a cloth dishcloth, dry off the board as much as you can. Wait until it’s completely dry to move onto the next step.
5. Either pour a small amount of the oil directly onto the board, or onto a clean paper towel.
6. Rub the oil around on the cutting board until it’s well oiled — make sure to get all parts of the board, including the back side (even though you don’t probably use that part as much, or even ever, it’s still important to treat!)
7. Let it dry completely before storing! Enjoy your beautiful cutting board!
How to Treat Your Wood Cutting Board For The Long Term
Materials
- Salt and Lemon (or baking soda)
- Butcher Block and Cutting Board Oil (we bought ours at Home Depot) or another compatible oil
- Clean dish cloth
Instructions
1. Place about a teaspoon of salt directly onto a cutting board. You can either put about a tablespoon of lemon juice on top of the salt or use half of a lemon to spread the salt around.
2. Spread the salt around with the lemon (or if you use lemon juice + water, use a clean wash cloth), making sure to get all nooks and crannies of the board scrubbed well with it. The lemon and salt act as an anti-bacterial and helps get rid of anybacteria that may be lingering from the more frequent cleanings.
3. Wash off all the salt and lemon with warm water.
4. Using a cloth dishcloth, dry off the board as much as you can. Wait until it’s completely dry to move onto the next step.
5. Either pour a small amount of the oil directly onto the board, or onto a clean paper towel.
6. Rub the oil around on the cutting board until it’s well oiled — make sure to get all parts of the board, including the back side (even though you don’t probably use that part as much, or even ever, it’s still important to treat!)
7. Let it dry completely before storing! Enjoy your beautiful cutting board!
Removing unpleasant smells from wood cutting board
The smell of raw meat can linger on wood cutting boards, making it difficult to store them in open spaces. There are a couple of ways that you can remove the odor from your board. You can cover the board with a thin layer of mineral oil. You can also scrub it down with baking soda or vinegar, which will break down the molecules that are causing the odor. The best way to remove the smell is to boil water with a few drops of lemon oil in it. The boiling process will kill any bacteria that might be causing odors.
How to Sanitize Wood Cutting Board
The first step to sanitize a cutting board is to wipe it down with a dry cloth. Next, scrub the board using an all-purpose cleaner and water, then rinse thoroughly with water. Finally, use a clean towel to dry the board and place it in an area that is not exposed to sunlight or air currents.
If you are looking to preserve the life of your cutting board for a long time, it is important that you treat it on a regular basis. The best way to do this is by scrubbing it with an all-purpose cleaner and water.
The first step to sanitize a cutting board is to wipe it down with a dry cloth. Next, scrub the board using an all-purpose cleaner and water, then rinse thoroughly with water. Finally, use a clean towel to dry the board and place it in an area that is not exposed to sunlight or air currents.
The best way to prolong the life of your wood cutting board is to clean it on a regular basis. To do that, you will need an all-purpose cleaner and water.
The first step in sanitizing the board is to wipe down with
Best Wood Cutting Boards
Here are some of the top five cutting boards that you can get on Amazon
How to Increase the Life of Wood Cutting Board
If you want to keep the life of your cutting board for a long time, here are some tips on how to treat it.
- Do not use your wood cutting boards with metal utensils because this may scratch the surface of your board and can cause your board to crack and break.
- Make sure that the surface of your cutting board is dry before you put it away after it has been washed with soap water or liquid dish soap.
- Apply a thin layer of mineral oil, vegetable oil or beeswax to your board after it has been washed with soap water every time you use the cutting board.
- Make sure that the surface of your cutting board is dry before you put it away after it has been washed with soap water or liquid dish soap.
- Do not put hot pots and pans on your board.
Is it necessary to finish a wooden cutting board?
Woodcutting boards do take time and effort to maintain. If you don’t take care of them properly, they will get warped and start to crack…which isn’t desirable. If you don’t care if they last for a long time, then don’t take care of them. However, if you want them to last for a long time (which will save you money in the long run), taking a little bit of time to keep them looking nice is essential.
Woodcutting boards should not be put in the dishwasher or left to soak in water. This will cause them to warp and not really be useful after a while. However, if you go long without oiling them (as I’ll describe in a few seconds), they will dry out and start to crack. One of our wooden cutting boards has started to do this around the edge, simply because we didn’t realize that you needed to maintain them!
It also helps remove any smells or bacteria that weren’t removed with washing. This makes it so your fruit doesn’t have the scent of a slab of meat. Not super appetizing right?
How to Store Wood Cutting Boards
When storing wood cutting boards, it’s best to keep them in a drawer or on the countertop. If you store them under the sink, moisture may get trapped inside and cause mold growth. Wooden cutting boards should not be placed in the dishwasher. This will deteriorate the wood and may cause it to warp or crack, which can lead to bacterial growth.
More Cleaning Posts You Might Enjoy:
- 25+ Must-Buy Dollar Tree Cleaning Supplies (That Actually Work)
- How to Clean a Wubbanub: The EASIEST Way
- How to Clean Throw Up Out of Carpet Naturally (Including the Smell!)
- How to Clean Glass Top Stove (Including Burnt On Nastiness!)
- How to Clean Cloudy Glasses
- Force of Nature Cleaner Review and Coupon – Everything You Should Know
- Cricut Mat Cleaning 101: The Best Methods to Try
Katie Clark
Katie is a Colorado-native, BYU graduated, and most importantly, wife to one and mother to three beautiful boys. She is passionate about sharing her experiences with others – especially about pregnancy, breastfeeding, cooking, and crafts. She is an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant. She loves spending time with her family and helping others find joy in family life.
