Oak Chopping Board Care: Oiling and Keeping It
An oak chopping or serving board will last for years and look better with age, if you treat it kindly. Here is how to keep one.
Oil it when it is new
A new board wants feeding before you use it hard. Use a food-safe finish: food-grade mineral oil, or a beeswax and oil board butter. Flood the surface, let it soak in for an hour or overnight, wipe off the excess, and repeat two or three times over a few days. This fills the grain so water and smells do not sink in.
How to wash it
Hand wash only, with warm water and a little washing-up liquid, and dry it standing on edge so air gets to both faces. Never put an oak board in the dishwasher, and never leave it soaking in the sink. Both will crack it.
Re-oil when it looks dry
When the surface goes pale and thirsty, usually every few weeks with regular use, give it another coat of oil. A well-kept board has a soft sheen, not a dry grey look.
Lift stains and smells
For a stain or a strong smell like garlic or onion, scrub with coarse salt and half a lemon, rinse, dry and re-oil. For a rough patch, a light sand with fine paper then re-oil brings it back.
The board itself
Our boards are made to order from Devon oak, each one a single piece with its own grain, so no two are the same. Looked after, an oak board outlasts anything you would buy flat-packed.
