How to Care for and Maintain Your Wood Cutting Board

There are all sorts of cutting boards out there, but let’s face it, nothing looks or functions quite so well as a beautiful handmade wood board. Another bonus of a wood cutting board is that with proper care and maintenance, it will virtually last you your whole life.

So what's the best way to maintain a wood cutting board?

Here is your quick guide for both bare and pre-treated wood cutting boards, and instructions for washing and storage.

Bare Wood Cutting Boards

If you have purchased a board from a local craftsperson, it has likely already been treated. In that case, you can skip forward to the next section.

If you purchased a cutting board or butcher block that happens to be bare untreated wood, or maybe you made your own cutting board (high-five for learning a new skill!), you'll need to treat it to create a food-safe finish.

8 steps for a food-safe cutting board finish

Follow these instructions for a food-safe wood finish, ideally before your first use in the kitchen:

  1. Make sure your board has been sanded to an appropriate grit, this should be: 220 grit at a minimum. However, you may like the buttery smoothness you get when it has been sanded to 400 grit.
  2. Remove any sanding dust before moving on to finishing.
  3. Start finishing the board by saturating it with a food-safe wood oil. Many people use mineral oil for this because it is inexpensive and readily available in most stores. We like hemp oil as a food-safe wood finish and petroleum-free alternative.
  4. Pour hemp oil onto the surface and rub it in with a lint-free towel. You should use enough oil that the surface does not have dry spots appearing immediately.
  5. After 20-30 minutes remove the excess oil on the surface with a lint-free towel and stand your board up vertically overnight. Depending on the wood, you may need to repeat this process two or three times until the wood is evenly saturated.
  6. After your last oil coat has sat overnight, you are ready to condition your board. Start by rubbing the board down with a lint-free cloth to ensure there is no excess oil.
  7. Apply a coat of a food-safe wood wax or board butter. This can be done with your fingers or with a cloth.
  8. Allow the food-safe wax to set for 30 minutes, then use a fresh cloth to buff off any excess wax and bring it to a beautiful sheen.

Maintaining a treated wood cutting board

If you are the proud owner of a treated wood cutting board or butcher block, you want to keep it that way. Follow these simple steps to maintain its beauty as the the centerpiece of your kitchen:

Everyday cutting board care:

  1. When washing your wood board, never soak it in water, or place it in the dishwasher. Always wash and rinse it under flowing water.
  2. After washing, towel it dry and store it vertically in a cupboard away from sources of heat.
  3. If you want to have a board you can leave flat on the counter it needs to have feet that allow airflow around the whole board. These are generally small rubber circles that also prevent the board from moving when you are chopping.

Replenishing the wax layer on your cutting board

It's important to regularly replenish the wax layer on your cutting board. How frequently depends on how much use the board gets. It may need this monthly, every three months, or maybe only twice a year: it all depends on how much use and washing it is getting.

You can do this by applying a food-safe wood wax finish or board butter. Apply a liberal amount with your fingers or a lint-free cloth, allow it to set for 30 minutes, and then use a fresh cloth to buff off any excess wax.

Does your cutting board look dried out?

If the board starts looking dried out, it will need a fresh coat of food safe oil finish. As mentioned above, mineral oil is the most common oil used for this purpose, but we recommend hemp oil as a natural, petroleum-free wood finish for a alternative.

Here's what to do:

  1. Pour a liberal amount of oil on the surface, rub it in with a lint-free cloth, and allow it to soak in for 20-30 minutes.
  2. Use a cloth to remove any excess oil and stand the board vertically overnight. Because the board has previously been treated it should only require one coat of oil.
  3. The next day you can treat it with a food-safe wood wax as in the instructions above.

By following these instructions your cutting board will last you for many, many years of enjoyment (assuming you enjoy preparing your food).