Product Maintenance

How to take care of your board?

Handmade wooden cutting boards are not, I repeat, are NOT something you should simply throw in a dishwasher to clean. Just like a nice set of knives that you may use to cut upon them, so to, do these boards need some love, care, and maintenance. That said, if you take care of them, they will last you a lifetime. 

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1. Cleaning: 

Water is the natural enemy for wooden cutting boards. Soaking a board in water for long periods of time will allow water to penetrate the wood and swell it. This leads to cracks  and warping. Thus limiting contact with water is best. For regular cleaning, we recommend using a wet or damp washcloth to wipe the board down. Once wiped clean,  dry with a dish cloth.

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2. Maintenance

All our boards have been finished with some form of a food safe oil. This helps to make the boards water resistant and preserve them. However, this oil needs replenishing every so often or the boards get "thirsty". Applying mineral oil to the boards or a board butter (combination mineral oil and beeswax) will help maintain the quality and luster of the board as well as keeping it water resistant. Mineral oil or board butter can be found at most home good stores (or simply send me a request in the Custom Order Form for more).

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3. Appearance

Over time, after heavy use, boards may get scratched or marked up. Once this gets to be significant, you can make your boards look like new by simply taking them out and giving them a good sanding to smooth the surface again. Once sanded you will want to soak them in mineral oil again to regain their sheen as well as make them water resistant again. (All WYWoodworking boards here are sanded to a minimum of 220 grit, with some going as high as 1500 grit. You may find your board isn't as smooth as previous once you sand it yourself due to a difference in sanding grit & technique.)