Make your own cleaning solution by mixing one part vinegar to four parts water and pour it over the cutting board. After sitting for a few minutes, simply rinse and then hand wash the board with soap and water. There are a few other tips to follow after putting certain types of food on a wooden cutting board.
Treat your board with mineral oil a few times per month
To treat your wood cutting board, use a dry, clean rag and rub enough oil to coat the board's surface on all sides (not just the top and bottom). Give the entire wood cutting board to a mineral oil treatment a couple of times per month.
To get rid of stubborn stains or smells, sprinkle a little coarse salt on your board's surface, add some lemon juice, rub the paste into the surface, and let it sit for a few minutes. We also recommend MacKenzie's Fisherman Hand Scrub, a gritty exfoliator that deodorizes both hands and cutting boards.
How do you care for a charcuterie board? Wash it with soap and water and allow to air dry or wipe dry. Never put away wet.
How to clean a wood cutting board. Always hand-wash your wood cutting board. Never put a wood board or other wood items (like salad bowls and spoons) in the dishwasher or submerge them in a sink full of water because they'll warp and/or crack.
Best soaps for cleaning cutting boards
“A quick wash with a mild soap is best.” Chef Frank Proto, an instructor at the Institute of Culinary Education, explains that wood swells when it absorbs water, and then shrinks as it dries, causing splits and cracks — which is why it's important to never soak wooden boards.
Disinfect With a Daily Solution
To disinfect your wooden cutting board after light use (not raw meat), spritz it with distilled white vinegar. You can also spritz with a 3% solution of hydrogen peroxide.
1 tablespoon white vinegar. 3 tablespoons olive oil. Mix together in a jar. Using a rag, apply small amounts of the solution to the furniture, gently working off the dirt and grime and restoring the polish to your walnut wood furniture.
Fortunately, walnut is a safe cutting board material. It's non-toxic and has antimicrobial properties that help to keep your food free of bacteria and germs.
It's not necessary to let the wax soak into the board. We recommended you oil your cutting board every month or when dry to the touch. Board cream should be applied at the same time as oiling.
After discarding any food scraps on the board, rinse the board with hot water. Apply dish soap and scrub with a sponge or dish brush. If you notice any knife marks, scratches, or inconsistencies in the wood, scrub those areas well to avoid bacteria.
Olive oil, corn oil, and sunflower oil, should never be used to maintain a cutting board or butcher block. These oils experience rancidification – a process that yields a rank smell and unpleasant taste. As a cutting board touches your food, substances that can turn rancid should be avoided.
Hydrogen Peroxide: Banish unwanted bacteria from any cutting board by wiping it down on each side with a paper towel soaked in hydrogen peroxide. Let it stand for a few minutes before wiping away with warm water and a clean cloth. White Vinegar: Apply distilled white vinegar to the cutting board and wipe down.
Mineral oil for cutting boards is the best option to care for your wood cutting board and make sure it doesn't absorb water. Just be sure to choose a mineral oil that is labelled as food-safe or food-grade.
Following are the reasons why Walnut wood is expensive.
The tree takes around 50 years to mature, it is longer than most other trees. It is in high demand due to its desired characteristics such as durability, strength or aesthetic making it one of the best wood species around.
To protect your cutting board, you have to apply oil to seal the surface of the hardwood. Squeeze a liberal amount of butcher block wood oil or food-grade mineral oil onto a cloth rag. Apply the oil to all sides of the wood by rubbing thoroughly. Reapply until the wood stops absorbing the oil.
It's Versatile. Because of its elegant appearance, black walnut can be used for a variety of purposes. Of course, if you're buying a black walnut cutting board, then its most common use will probably be for cutting up meat and produce. But it can definitely be used for so much more than that.
For starters, an authentic piece will generally have some color variation, even within the individual boards, simply because walnut is not usually stained. Additionally, it will have a straight grain, perhaps with some curls.
Can I use olive oil on wood furniture? Yes, you can. Use a cloth to work the oil into the wood grain, rubbing back and forth. When the wood has absorbed the oil, leave it for ten minutes then wipe the excess off with a clean cloth.
Pros: Walnut is a very strong and stable wood that can take intricate carving. The color can be beautiful. Cons: Some may not like the variation from dark to light that's sometimes found on a single wide board. Walnut is also one of the more costly woods.
Olive oil treatment will not damage your wood, it will feed and nourish the wood and bring out it's natural shine.... but, you might want to limit your use of the oil, as, just like any wax or polish they can make the surface difficult to paint or varnish in the future... will be fine to use it every year or so.
Hydrogen Peroxide – 3% hydrogen peroxide can also be used as a bacteria-killer. To kill the germs on your cutting board, use a paper towel to wipe the board down with vinegar, then use another paper towel to wipe it with hydrogen peroxide.
Mix a paste of lemon juice and baking soda and scrub for stains. Use your cleaning brush to scour away food debris. Wash the cutting board with dish soap and hot water. Rinse and dry thoroughly with a clean, dry towel before storing it.
Daily cleaning
While we're mincing veggies, we won't mince words: Wood cutting boards need to be hand washed. After use, wash your board with a bit of dish soap, rinse it in hot water, wipe it clean, and allow it to dry upright.