Wood Care

Tutorials
Main Page

Items made of unlacquered wood, such as many bowls, spoons, cutting boards and knife handles, require only minimal care in order to retain their unmatched beauty and practicality.

Regular Wood Maintenance

Oil these utensils on a regular basis. We recommend doing it on a monthly basis, or more frequently.

We recommend mineral oil. Food grade mineral oil is tasteless and odorless. It does not get sticky and does not become rancid with time. (Get it from us, or from your local supermarket or drug store.)

Rub on generous amounts of the oil (warmed to room temperature) and allow to soak in. Repeat the process about 6-8 hours later, and repeatedly if necessary, until the oil is no longer being absorbed. Then wipe off any excess that remains on the surface.

Wash your wooden utensils without worry after oiling. But...

Do not let wood utensils soak, and do not wash them in a dishwasher.

Dry wooden boards and utensils thoroughly after washing. Wood dries faster than plastic, and will thus be less likely to harbor bacteria on its surface.

Bowls that you regularly use for salads can just be wiped clean with a paper towel. It will soak up any excess oils and be ready for your next salad.

Cutting boards should never be used interchangeably with meat (including poultry and fish) and other foods (like bread, salads, etc.), to avoid possible cross contamination from pathogens in uncooked meat products.

The USDA recommends that you wash wooden utensils (especially cutting boards and utensils used with uncooked meat products (including fish and poultry) with hot, soapy water, then rinse and dry. If you follow their instructions, first make sure the wood is well oiled before using it, and that the utensils have been at room temperature, not out in the cold. Follow with a generous oiling, since soap will remove much of the surface oil.

In addition, you can rub a wedge of lemon on the wood to help keep it free from bacteria and other germs.

Store wood products in a dry location at room temperature; away from hot, cold and humid areas. Heat will dry the oil on the surface, and possibly cause warping, splitting or cracking. Cold temperatures are usually very dry, will draw moisture out of wood, and possibly cause warping, splitting or cracking.

Cracking or splitting usually occurs when wood has been soaked and when it is moved from hot to cold or cold to hot, when it dries from not being oiled regularly, and when subjected to intense changes in temperature and humidity. This type of cracking is not covered under any warranty.

When you notice the wooden utensil becoming dry (it will lighten in color), it’s time to re-oil. Better yet, just make it a point to re-oil on a regular basis. That old wood spoon from grandma will then last you just about forever, or until it wears out.

Wood Finishing

What if you want a hard finish on your wooden counter or butcher block?

If you still desire to use the wooden utensil for some degree of food preparation, but without any cutting, you can use a food-safe lacquer or varnish.

The best food-safe lacquer is shellac. In flake form, it is free of water, wax and preservatives, and can easily be mixed as needed. It is easy to apply, protects well against moisture, and makes a wonderful shiny surface. Small blemishes can be easily repaired, however heat spots and alcohol spills are damaging and require work to fix.

The best food-safe varnish is natural tung oil. It is easy to apply, protects well against moisture, blemishes can be easily repaired, and lasts much longer than shellac. It takes more coats than shellac, and more work to get a shiny surface, a longer drying time, and is more expensive.

Other food-safe lacquers and varnishes are available commercially, and should be matched to the type of food and degree of food preparation to be done on the surface area. Read the labels and follow the manufacturer's instructions for best results.

"Green" Eco-Friendly

The green leaf, that you'll see next to many of our wood products, indicates that the product is made from renewable resources, or that it is recyclable.