So now you have your favourite chopping board, shown it off to the girls at your latest wine and cheese night and now you are wondering… how the heck do I look after it?!
The key your chopping board lasting forever all comes down to a bit of TLC. I promise you that it isn't a hard task, it is just has a few important do’s and don’ts.
- DO dry immediately after washing. We don’t want any water absorbing into the wood.
- DO either wipe down with just wet cloth or use a small amount of soap if necessary. If nothing too aromatic has been in contact with your board (fruits and some vegetables) simply wipe it down. However, if you are cutting something potent like garlic, soap is a definite must as wood can hold the smell and transfer it to your next meal. (Trust me on this one, garlic and watermelon do not taste good together.) But remember - the less soap the better! The soap will draw out the woods oil meaning you will need to oil your resin board more regularly.
- DO treat it with oil. The same way our skin needs moisturiser to be beautiful and soft, your chopping board needs oil to be strong and vibrant. The more we wash our boards, the more we draw out the natural oils which makes it prone to splitting and warping. The best way to know when your board is craving oil is to look at the colour of the wood, the duller the brown, the drier the wood.
- DO use coconut, mineral, linseed, beeswax or tung oil. My favourite is a mixture of coconut oil and beeswax, the coconut oil is one of the least rancid oils and the beeswax makes it water-resistant which means you won’t have to oil it as frequently. Simply rub the oil into the wood with a rag or cloth until the whole board is covered and not absorbing any more oil. Hack: You can buy coconut oil cooking spray at the supermarket and all you have to do is spray over the board. Too easy.
- DO NOT use vegetable or olive oil. These will become rancid and begin to smell. Yuk.
- PRO TIP : Spring clean your chopping board with salt and lemon (or lime). For the full service, give your board a spa treatment every once in a while. Generously sprinkle salt over your chopping board and then cut a lemon in half. Now begin to rub the lemon all over the salty board. The salt acts as a scrub to remove stubborn stains, and the lemon is a natural disinfectant and deodoriser. Be sure to clean it well in some hot water afterwards.
- DON’T put it in the dishwasher. Wood is a beautiful natural material that has the ability to both bring water into its grain as well as repel it. When too much water gets absorbed by wood it begins to expand and this is what makes a cutting board warp, bend and crack. In a dishwasher there is a lot of water and heat… not a friendly place for your new chopping board.
- DON’T let it soak in water. If you leave your chopping board in water for too long, it will absorb too much water, and yep, it will bend and crack. Not good.
And that’s it!
P.S. You're probably wondering why I haven't mentioned anything about the resin and that is because it doesn't need any care! However, if you do really want the resin to pop at your dinner party, rub some oil over it to give it some extra sparkle.