Kitchen use can get agressive, but the wood holds up well if you keep the oils inside the wood.
I recommend staying away from mineral oil, and cheap butcher block oils (which is usually mineral oil). It’s unhealthy and offers very little protection.
Natural cutting board oil
This is the top coat finish on all boards and hand-carved bowls. I definitely recommend it for further protection.
When to apply
Eventually, you will develop a feel for it, when the wood just “feels good”.
Until then,
Re-apply when you used the scrubby side of the sponge. I try to avoid scrubbing as much as possible.
Re-apply if the wood looks or feels dry. This will happen on cutting boards when the center is marked up by knives and the outside looks healthy.
If it doesn’t get heavy use, then just re-apply the finish when you want it to look new again.
How to apply
Wipe on a thin coat with a rag just to wet the surface, removing excess.
It will need a day or two to dry, depending on temperature. Put in a warm place to speed up dry time.
If you don’t have time to let it dry, that’s ok. The ingredients are natural and food safe.
What to Avoid
Avoid soaking the wood in water, or conditions where the wood can soak up water for a long period of time. This will cause the wood to bend and move agressively, which could lead to cracks. If it happens, let it dry out and it should go back to normal.
Avoid sawing into cutting boards with bread knives. This makes me cry.
Avoid the scrubby side of the sponge because it likes to scrub off the finish.
No dishwashers!
Tip
Use less soap. Soap likes to wash away oils, and less soap means less time oiling.
Keep the wood happy and it will last many years! (even cutting boards!)
