It is scientifically proven that wood has a great natural ability to decontaminate itself, making it a good surface for food preparation.
Wooden chopping boards will last for years but some amount of care is needed. The following tips will help ensure that your chopping board remains in good condition.
Cleaning
- Clean your board in warm soapy water then dry with a tea towel. Leave your board standing upright to allow for all-round air drying. Try to avoid storing the board lying flat, particularly on a wet surface.
- Do not leave your board soaking in water for long periods of time.
- Try and use the board on both sides to prevent warping.
- Avoid leaving the board in the sun.
- Do not put the board in the dishwasher.
- You can occasionally sprinkle regular salt or baking soda over the board and rub the board with a slice of lemon then rinse well with hot water. This will help to clean and neutralise any odour.
Oiling
Oiling a chopping board is essential: Detergents and soaps used for cleaning tend to wash out the oils which help to seal the wood and prevent the wood from absorbing too much moisture which can cause splitting, warping and mould.
We recommend oiling the board weekly to monthly depending on the frequency of use and washing.
After washing, once the board has dried properly, apply oil generously using a paper towel or small cloth. Leave for approximately half an hour for the oil to absorb into the wood then with a clean paper towel or cloth, buff off any excess oil. Too much excess oil left on the board may dry and become sticky.
Recommended food-safe oils:
- Pure Tung Oil
- Beeswax
- Walnut Oil
- Almond Oil
- Coconut Oil
Buy what we use? Click here to view our favourite wooden board oil!
Understanding Wood
Here at Woodzone it is our aim/policy to provide our customers with high quality useful wooden items to be enjoyed for a long time. It is important to us that our customers are satisfied and pleased with their purchase.
Wood is a product of nature therefore can react to changes in nature such as environmental changes in weather, atmosphere moisture contents and temperature.
We do our best to ensure that all the timber we use has been carefully air dried and well seasoned for several years before it is made into products. However due to some of the above mentioned reasons timber can still move i.e. shrink, swell, warp, cup, split
Once a product has been purchased and leaves our premises, we have no control over the environment it is going into or how it is being used and cared for, therefore we cannot accept responsibility for any timber movement that may occur post-purchase.
Joined Timber Chopping Boards:
Several pieces of timber joined together using glue known as laminating is a good way to reduce the chance of a chopping board warping, cupping or splitting and maintaining better stability. Most of our chopping boards are made this way, carefully selecting the way the timber is joined to achieve the best possible matching grain and stability. We use advanced techniques to achieve high quality joins using waterproof glue that makes the join itself stronger than the timber.
Rustic Natural Edge Slab Boards:
Due to the nature of these boards some movement may occur. There is slightly more chance of movement in boards that are wider and with more knots and character grain.
Generally, timber that has lots of character grain carries some stress/tension in the timber, which is usually released during the seasoning process, but can still move with moisture content changes etc. These beautiful feature grain boards do come with some risk of twisting and cupping, however they still remain useful and will last for a very long time.
Click the image below to download the care instructions.
