Wood Care
From Vermont Butcher Block and Board Company
Butcher Block and Cutting Board Care Instructions
We engrave them on the bottom of every butcher block and cutting board that goes out the door, so you can never lose them:
1. Wash with soap and water after use.
2. Dry immediately.
3. Rub with mineral oil 2-3 times per month.
4. Do not place in the dishwasher.
We would also suggest using a clean or new sponge for your board to help prevent bacteria transmissions. That’s it. If for some reason your board develops a smell (garlic heads, you know who you are) or a stain (for you strawberry heads) and you would like to rid your board of that smell or stain you can slice a lemon in half and rub over the entire surface. The lemon will bleach and scour the board.
We get a lot of questions about how much mineral oil should be put on one of our products. The answer is “never enough.” Our products are soaked in a vat of FDA approved food grade mineral oil before they leave our shop. When you put your first application of mineral oil on your product, you will either see it soak in or not soak in over a 15-20 minute period. If it soaks in and the wood is dry to the touch, you can rub it down again immediately with more mineral oil. If the oil has pooled on the surface of the block, then you can just wipe it off with paper towels and be comfortable that you are properly caring for your product.
Using bleach on your product is not recommended.
Always Make Sure You Have a Good Supply of Oil!
As the instructions above point out, the worst thing you can do to your board is let it dry out. Make sure you keep it well oiled!
We sell two kinds of oil. Both are FDA-approved food safe:
- The type that Catskill Craftsmen uses - a linseed based oil
(Click here for more info or to buy) - The type that Vermont Butcher Block Company uses - pure mineral oil
(Click here for more info or to buy)
