This post was originally published on August 20, 2019.
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I’ve kinda always known treating wooden cutting boards was something I should be doing on the reg. But I didn’t do. Ever. Except that now I have. And since I have, it’s definitely something to do more often!
Some people like using plastic cutting boards. Other people prefer using wood cutting boards. I’m the wood cutting board preference person.
I just figure, people have been using wood boards and surfaces to chop their veggies down through the ages, so it’s basically sanitary. History, folks.
I mean, mine get a thorough scrubbing after each use. That should be enough to care for the wear and tear, right?
Apparently, though, there are reasons why you should regularly treat your wood cutting boards with more than just dish soap and the scrubby side of the sponge.
Like probably most things made from a natural material, wood cutting boards are prone to drying out, getting brittle and eventually splitting and cracking. Regularly treating them helps to keep the wood conditioned against all of that.
Regularly conditioning your wooden cutting boards also prevents germs and bacteria from enjoying themselves too much because liquids can get down into the fibers and then throw a party.
Think, like, a rockstar trashing a hotel room. Not a sophisticated cocktail hour party.
I’ve used mineral oil in the past to treat brand new cutting boards. If you use this kind, be sure to get food-grade mineral oil.
This time around, I decided to try a product I found on Grove Collaborative. It’s Real Simple’s Cutting Board Oil and it contains that food-grade mineral oil.
I squeezed a quarter size amount onto a paper towel to start and rubbed it in. More was better in this case and I made sure to cover all sides, including the sides you wouldn’t even be able to cut on if you wanted to.
It really made a difference! I hadn’t even really recognized how dry my boards were until I finished the application on that first one. After the third board, it was clear that this was something to make a regular ritual.
Because my cutting boards looked so good, I thought, hey, I’ll treat the kitchen island butcher block, too, while I’m at it!
Oh, hey, there’s this other super dry looking butcher block on the counter next to the stove, let’s see what’ll happen to that.
Boy, oh boy, it looks better than I’ve ever seen it!
I am so pleased with how rich and moisturized my wooden cutting surfaces are now that I’ve treated them. It’s definitely going to become a regular domestic task. It also helps to know that properly treating wooden cutting surfaces with the correct kind of oil helps to sanitize them.
It’s just another way to keep your home clean, germ free, chemical free, aaannnd looking great!
Happy housekeeping, friends!
