how do you take care of a wooden chopping board?

Question

I know it has to be oiled but do you use something like olive oil? I also heard that you put it in an oven on low. It is my first wooden chopping board and i want to take care of it. Any help would be great. Thanks in advance

I'm sorry. I mean how do you prepare it before you use it for the first time.

Answer 1

vegtiable oil is all thats needed and you can was it in soapy water u must treat it with veggy oil about every three months , but putting it in the oven would harm it cause it your breaking down the glue that holds it together

Answer 2

I've never heard of putting a cutting board in an oven. But I do know you should oil it with unscented mineral oil. You can buy it in a hardware or cooking-equipment store, and it's usually labeled as "chopping block oil" or "cutting board oil", or sometimes as oil for a wooden salad bowl. You wipe it on, and then wipe off the excess. It doesn't dry like paint, but soaks into any dry or scratched areas. It keeps the wood from drying out or absorbing excess humidity, depending on weather conditions where you are.

Olive or other cooking oil isn't recommended, because it can turn rancid and have a bad smell.

Answer 3

If you use oil, use mineral oil or a oil usually called Block Oil. Vegetable and Nut Oils will turn rancid. I only use my block for fruits and vegetables. I place a plastic mat on my board for meats that cost about a buck at the local Screw The Community Mart.
The mats usually come in several colors that I get to make sure of no cross contamination's occurring in my foods while cutting.(Red for beef, yellow for chicken, you get the idea...
According to the Boos Block company first use a dough scraper to lightly scrape the top off, then use a mild soapy detergent to wipe off with. Then dry it with a towel.
Don't put it in the oven. You will possibly warp, crack, split or any number of adverse possibilities to it.
Oil it on all surfaces about 2 times per month.

Answer 4

Wash it in white vinegar as needed. Lightly sand it it scratches appear. Don't let it soak in water and avoid the dishwasher.

Only use it to cut things like produce, use seperate plastic boards for raw and cooked meat and poultry for sanitation reasons.

As for oil, mineral oil is cheap and commonly availible, other oils will work like linseed, but you have to make sure that you get "food grade" quality, which might be more expensive/harder to find depending on where you are.

Keep it out of the oven... either the temp is too low to do anything or high enough to melt and glues or steam mositure in the wood causing warping.

Personally I avoid bleach in favor of white vinegar... I just don't like the idea of using bleach on porous surfaces like meat. It might be ok, I am just not comfortable with it.

Answer 5

I regularly scrub mine, and rinse them down with boiled water after use. The most important thing is to have different boards for different uses to avoid cross contamination - I have separate boards for fish & chicken, other meat, vegetables & bread

Answer 6

wash with bleach and rinse.
after you cut poultry...clean with anti bacterial soap

my wife never treats it with anything...its just a chopping board and it was made to be used....it won't hurt it to have a few nicks in it..its just a tool

Answer 7

I always soak in in boiling hot water..then rub lemon on it & let it air dry

Answer 8

you dont want to use soap on them, rub them with lemon juice or garlic juice to sanitize them, use only food oils on them. I guess you could bake them at a low temp to sanitize them.