How to care for a wooden chopping board

Wooden boards may seem bulletproof, but they need a little TLC to stay in top shape. When cared for, they offer longevity, style, and the best surface for protecting high-performance knives.

If you’re just halving a lemon, slicing some bread or chopping a few nuts, all your board needs is a quick wipe. But if you’ve prepped messier ingredients like raw meat or chicken, or accumulated residue from garlic, tomatoes, avocado etc, it will need to be properly cleaned.

To wash your board, first wipe off any excess food. Fill your sink with warm soapy water, and gently wash it all over. This includes the edges, sides and even the underside; rinse the board and dry it well with a soft towel. Never fully immerse your board in soapy water or put it in a dishwasher; prolonged exposure to heat and water can cause warping.

If your board gets stained, or develops smells from garlic or fish prep, sprinkle the area with coarse salt, rub it well with a cut lemon, then wash. The salt-lemon combination is a natural sanitiser, lifting stains and neutralising odours.

To keep your board in its premium condition, lightly oil the wood using food-grade mineral oil; this hydrates the wood and restores the surface. Don’t use vegetable or other cooking oils as these can turn rancid. Apply enough oil to form a thin layer all over and use a soft, clean cloth to rub it in well. Afterwards, leave your board on its side for a few hours for the oil to soak in and dry. How often you season your board depends on the amount it is used or whether the wood is starting to look dry.

Avoid exposing your board to extreme temperatures, don’t leave it near a heat source, and never put hot pans on it. Use it for its intended purpose – cutting and chopping – and not for pounding meat or other heavy-duty tasks, which can leave deep grooves and damage the wood.

If you follow these simple steps, your board will look beautiful for years.