How to clean and oil a wooden cutting board

A good wooden cutting board can last a lifetime. It only needs a few minutes of care now and then. This guide works for the bamboo cutting board, large, and the oak cutting board, small.

What you need

• warm water and a little dish soap,
• a dish brush, like the dish brush with beech handle,
• a clean tea towel,
• food-safe oil, like sunflower oil or special board oil,
• a soft cloth,
• coarse salt and half a lemon, for a deep clean.

Step 1: wash after every use

Rinse the board under warm water. Scrub it with a brush and a drop of dish soap, along the grain. Pay extra attention to the juice groove of the bamboo board, where bits of food collect. Rinse well.

Never put a wooden board in the dishwasher, and never leave it soaking in the sink. Wood that stays wet swells, and when it dries again, it cracks.

Step 2: dry it standing up

Wipe the board with a tea towel. Then let it dry standing on its side, so air reaches both faces. A board that dries flat on the counter stays damp underneath and can warp. The oak board has a hole in its handle, so you can hang it on a hook.

Step 3: oil it once a month

Oil keeps the wood from drying out. When the board looks pale and dry, it is time.

1. Make sure the board is clean and fully dry.
2. Pour a small amount of oil on the board.
3. Rub it in with a soft cloth, along the grain, on both sides and the edges.
4. Let it soak in for a few hours, or overnight.
5. Wipe off any oil that is left on the surface.

Don’t use olive oil in large amounts: it can turn rancid over time.

Step 4: deep clean when needed

When a board smells of onion or garlic, or has stains, sprinkle coarse salt over it. Scrub it with half a lemon, cut side down. The salt scrubs and the lemon freshens. Rinse, dry and oil it.

Step 5: use both sides well

Use one side for raw meat and fish, and the other side for bread, fruit and vegetables. Or keep two boards: the large bamboo board for meat, and the small oak board for bread and cheese.

Good to know

Small cuts in the surface are normal. When the board gets rough, sand it lightly with fine sandpaper, along the grain, and oil it again. It looks almost new.

A sharp knife is kinder to a board than a dull one. See our guide on caring for kitchen knives.