Why do I need to maintain my cutting board?

Maintaining your cutting board serves two main purposes:

1. Prevent dryness, warping, and cracking of the wood.

2. Keep food moisture out of the wood fibers. This helps prevent staining and keeps the board from becoming a biohazard.   

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How do I keep my board healthy?

The easiest way to keep a board looking clean and healthy is to regularly apply food safe mineral oil (key words here: food safe). Mineral oil is a non-curing (non-hardening) oil that can soak deep into the wood fibers to repel moisture. Here are some common places you can buy food safe mineral oil products: Home Depot, Lowe's, Amazon, Sur la Table, William Sonoma.  

To apply the oil, spread a liberal layer across the entire surface, let it soak in for several minutes, then wipe off the excess. Repeat on the backside of the cutting board to prevent warping of wood. 

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There are many other products made for cutting boards, but they are mostly combinations of a food safe oils and waxes. These also work great for repelling moisture and stains. 

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How often should I oil my cutting board?

The more you use your board, the more often you will need to oil it. Any time it starts to look dry and thirsty, it's time to apply some oil. I typically apply every week or two. 

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How do I clean and sanitize my cutting board?

To clean the board after food prep, you can rinse it with soap and water. Dry the board completely after rinsing. Never submerge the board or leave it wet. The wood can swell unevenly causing warping or cracking. Never put a wood cutting board in the dishwasher.

 

To sanitize, I like to use distilled white vinegar, then re-oil when dry.

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Where should I store my cutting board?

It depends on the type of board:

 

Thinner boards are best stored vertically to allow airflow evenly around the board. If stored flat, thinner boards may naturally lose more moisture through one side, which could cause warping.  

 

I make my larger cutting boards with non-slip feet. This creates an air gap underneath to allow moisture transfer evenly from both sides of the board even when stored on the countertop, ready to use.

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My board has warped! What can I do?

Stay calm. Chances are the board has absorbed moisture unevenly.

I once accidentally let a puddle of water on the countertop soak into the bottom of my 24"x24" breadboard, and it curled up like a taco. The fibers on the bottom of the board had soaked up the liquid like a sponge while the fibers on top did not. The uneven swelling caused it to curl. I simply dried off the board and stood it upright to allow the wood to dry. After a day or two it was nice and flat again.