How to Care for Wood Cutting Boards - Tip of the Day

by Monika Bartyzel, Posted May 7th 2009 @ 9:00AM

To spare your wood cutting board a dry, grooved and sad end, a little TLC is in order.

Many Web sites and studies are now conflicted over which type of cutting board is best: plastic or wood. The years go by, no one can agree, and we're stuck with our own personal preferences.

Though plastic can be thrown in the dishwasher, that stunning wood board needs a little extra effort. If you don't give a little extra love to wooden cutting boards and utensils, they will slowly turn into ugly shells of their former selves -- dry, grooved and quite unappetizing.

Luckily, the love needed to keep your wood in prime condition isn't very time-consuming or difficult. After thoroughly washing and drying the board, simply grab a clean cloth and rub a small amount of mineral oil onto the surface. Let it sit overnight and then wipe off any excess that is not absorbed. Some mineral oil brands, like Fox Run Craftsmen, have label instructions that call for oiling after each use, but don't worry -- consensus says to oil your wood every several weeks. (Of course, frequency of use comes into play -- if you use it all the time, it should be oiled more often.)

Sometimes a little bit of oil is a good thing!

Filed Under: Tip of the Day
Tags: caring for wood cutting boards, CaringForWoodCuttingBoards, cutting boards, CuttingBoards, mineral oil, MineralOil, wood utensils, WoodUtensils