Functional and beautiful, wooden cutting boards have a lot going for them. The best of their kind are spacious, durable and easier on knives than their plastic counterparts. But to ensure your wood chopping block retains all those qualities and doesn’t warp or crack after a few washings, you need to be prepared to put in the necessary maintenance.
To ensure your wooden cutting board lives a long and lustrous life, you'll need a few additional ... [+] tools—chiefly, food-grade mineral oil. Wood Bamboo Cutting Board
It’s understandable that some home cooks find wooden cutting board upkeep to be intimidating. After all, it requires two-step drying and moisturizing routines. But once you familiarize yourself with the steps, the process doesn’t seem nearly as daunting. Better yet, you may even come to enjoy the meditative act of rubbing food-grade mineral oil into your board, watching it go from dull and dry to hydrated and radiant. If you can take care of a cast-iron skillet (or follow an elaborate skincare regimen), you can maintain a wood chopping block.
If you can only remember one thing, let it be this: Moisture is a wood cutting board’s worst enemy. When exposed to water or other liquids for extended periods of time, wooden boards are at high risk of cracking or warping, rendering them useless. Suffice it to say, under no circumstances should a wood board go through a dishwasher cycle. Here’s what you should do instead.
After you finish your chopping tasks and remove any food debris from the board’s surface, wash it in warm soapy water, using a mild dish soap and sponge. Do not, under any circumstance, use a steel brush, which can create tiny scratches and shorten your board’s lifespan. Also, it’s wise to wash all sides of the board—even the ones you didn’t use. When only one surface of the board is exposed to water, it will expand while the dry sides do not, which can lead to warping.
Once you’ve rinsed off all the food and soapy water, wipe down the board with a clean dish rag or paper towels to remove excess liquid. Then, prop the board up onto its narrowest edge so that its largest faces can thoroughly dry, letting it rest overnight. Not only does this measure lower the risk of your board splitting or warping, but it’s also important from a food-safety standpoint. “If a wooden cutting board is dried correctly, meaning it’s not put away in an area where moisture is allowed to set in, then the risk of a foodborne pathogen being on the surface of that cutting board is really, really low,” says Ben Chapman, PhD, a food safety researcher at North Carolina State University. “It’s on par with a plastic cutting board that can be cleaned and sanitized in a dishwasher.”
Unless you avoid using your cutting board for pungent foods like garlic, anchovy and onion, the wood will likely hold on to some odors; the same goes for stains. If you ever use your board to chop up beets, turmeric or pomegranate, some of the juices from those vibrant foods will likely seep into the block—especially if it’s made from a light wood like maple, beech or hinoki. Now, there are some preventive measures you can take to ward off scents and smell. “If you’re cutting something smelly, wet the cutting board first to fill the pores of the wood with water before those more pungent ingredients get introduced to the wood,” advises Josh Donald, co-owner of Bernal Cutlery in San Francisco. “That will keep the smells down.”
If your board has already absorbed some of those colors and smells, though, and soap isn’t doing the trick, you have some options. First, squeeze fresh lemon juice and sprinkle kosher salt over the soiled surface, rubbing the mixture into the board vigorously; let the acidic mixture rest for about an hour, and then wash the board. “That can also be a great way to pull out some funky flavors,” adds Donald. If that method doesn’t work, you can also spray the board down with white vinegar, allowing 5 minutes to pass before rinsing it off. (White vinegar is also effective at disinfecting the surface.)
Or you can try this tip from the Boardsmith, the brand behind our favorite butcher block: If you’re dealing with lingering garlic or onion odors, rub the affected area with a raw potato or apple.
As you put your cutting board through the paces in your kitchen, over time and with regular washing, its once-hydrated grains will slowly lose their moisture and luster. That’s where oil and wax (or board cream) come in. Whereas oil penetrates the wood fibers, board wax (and cream) rests atop the surface, sealing in the moisture and protecting against smells, stains and liquid. As for how frequently you should treat your board, there isn’t a hard-and-fast rule. Whenever your board appears dull and dry or feels rough to the touch, that’s when you know it’s time to treat it. Whereas newer boards tend to require more frequent oilings, perhaps once a week, you should expect to perform this upkeep about once a month. The wood and construction of your board is a factor, though. For example, end-grain boards need to be oiled more frequently than edge-grain boards; maple drinks up more oil than teak.
Before you go about oiling your board, you need to pick your oil. While many brands advise you to use their proprietary blend, you can generally get away with using any food-grade mineral oil. Walnut oil is another great option, though it may not be safe for those with nut allergies. Just don’t assume you can use any oil. “Don’t use something like olive oil because that will go rancid,” advises Donald. Other oils that fall into this category include vegetable, corn, sunflower and regular coconut oil.
Once you’ve procured your bottle, use either your hands or a paper towel to rub an even coat of oil over the entire board, making sure to hit the juice groove and hand grips (if your board has such features). Then, tilt the block onto its side to dry, allowing the oil to penetrate the wood for a few hours at minimum, though preferably overnight.
When the oil has thoroughly penetrated the board, it’s time to seal in the moisture with wax. While you can use food-safe beeswax, picking up a proprietary wax blend—such as The Boardsmith Board Butter or Boos Block Board Cream—is often easier and more convenient. Just as you did with the mineral oil, apply a thin layer of wax or cream onto the board, hitting every nook and cranny. While you can use your hands, board cream is super slick, so you may want to use a clean, soft cloth. Then, once more, prop the board onto its side and let rest for a few hours or overnight.
Is your go-to board showing signs of wear? Here’s how to handle three of the most common wood cutting board issues.
While wood is better at “healing” knife scars than plastic, over time and with regular use, deeper scars and grooves will likely form. Not only are they unsightly, but they can also become a “real environment where, if there’s food debris there and it doesn’t fully dry out, bacteria can grow and thrive,” says Chapman. When a plastic cutting board reaches this state, it’s best to throw it away. And though you may choose to do the same with a wood board, Chapman adds that you can easily sand down the surface, reestablishing a new, unmarred surface.
If your board slightly warps, you don’t necessarily need to throw it away. “The upside to solid wood is that it can always be resurfaced, either by sanding things flat, using surfacing machinery or using a trusty hand plane,” says Angie Yang, cofounder of Brooklyn woodworking school Bien Hecho Academy. “If it’s a family heirloom, contact your neighborhood woodworker for a hand.” If you’re not that attached to your board, though, it may make more sense to retire it.
If you notice a small crack forming in your wood board, it’s possible to repair it using food-safe wood glue and sandpaper; for larger cracks, it’s best to let woodworkers assess whether it can be fixed. But in most cases, unless you have an heirloom-quality butcher block, you may simply want to cut your losses and throw the board away. Not only are cracks unsightly, but they can also harbor pathogens, rendering the board unsafe to use.
Ready to invest in a brand new wood chopping block and the maintenance they require? Here are our favorite boards, based on extensive testing.
Made out of durable maple wood, this block is spacious, versatile and built to last. (Here’s our full review of the John Boos Maple Edge-Grain Reversible Cutting Board.)
Made out of sustainable teak from FSC-certified forests, this striking board is naturally moisture-resistant, thanks to teak’s high oil content. Therefore, it’s less prone to cracking and requires less oil.
If you’re looking to invest in an heirloom-quality butcher block to occupy a permanent spot on your countertop, consider this maple end-grain option from The Boardsmith, which is gentler on knives than edge-grain boards.
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I'm a tech journalist working and living in Gloucestershire, in the UK. I ran my own PC hardware review website for many years before transitioning into freelance writing. I've covered everything from the rise of Bitcoin and the encroachment of anti-privacy laws, to tabletop wargaming and advances in virtual reality. I've written, authored, edited, and copywritten for a broad array of the most prominent publications, including Digital Trends, Lifewire, PCGamer, The Inquirer, and KitGuru. I've also written two novels, and contributed backstory and dialogue to a handful of games. I am passionate about all the cutting-edge hardware inside and out the latest gadgets, PCs, and consoles, even if I can't always afford them.
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I’m the Deputy Editor for Forbes Vetted and though I started out in New Jersey, I am currently living in Los Angeles. After college, I served in the Air Force where I operated satellites, taught space operations and performed space launch planning.
After that, I spent eight years as a content lead on the Windows team at Microsoft. As a photographer, I have photographed wolves in their natural environment; I have been a scuba instructor; I co-hosted several podcasts including the popular Battlestar Recaptica. Currently, I'm one half of a podcast called Rick and Dave Control the Universe.
Wood Cutting Board With Tray I am the author of nearly three dozen books about photography, mobile tech, and more; I’ve even authored an interactive storybook for kids. I have contributed to sites including CNET, PC World and Business Insider before joining Forbes Vetted.