• How do I care for my chopping board to keep it looking great?
• What are the best Chopping Board Oils?
• What natural oil is best to seal wooden kitchen utensils & where can you buy it in Australia?

• What chopping board oils are safe to be in contact with food?

• What Chopping Board Oils are ALL natural?

  If you have questions about oils to use on your wooden kitchen items you’ve come to the right place. I will answer these questions below. These care instructions provide a list of safe oils you can use on your cutting boards and any wooden utensils you have in your kitchen. Even on a budget!
  
  Does anyone in your family have allergies?
  

  *If you have any allergies please research safe oils for wood by using my links in the headings below then decide which oil is best for your situation. This list is updated as I personally test chopping board oils in my own kitchen and do more research.

• *These options are advice only and your unique circumstances may be different.
  For example Peanut Oil is not a good option for those allergic to nuts.

Cutting Board Care Instructions

 

I’d received a couple of emails asking what oil is best to use for care and maintenance of my chopping boards, so rather than re-write most of it I thought I’d paste it here for all to read.
This is my email reply to a happy owner of one of my chopping boards.

CHOPPING BOARD MAINTENANCE

• The main thing you need to do is make sure nobody puts it in the DISHWASHER as this will dry out the wood fibres and may cause it to warp or split.
  
  
• Wipe it down after use.
  We just wipe ours clean with a damp cloth when needed, it stays on the bench, has quite a few cuts on the surface now from making sandwiches over the years but it just adds a bit of character, can’t worry too much as that’s what it’s for.
  As long as you don’t leave stuff on there to dry crusty I think that’s the best way to look after them.
  Wet chopping boards need to be put up on edge to allow both sides to dry.

• How safe are wooden cutting boards?
  Wood is the safest cutting board, in my opinion, plastic boards trap moisture and germs breed like crazy in the cuts.

• Can I cut Meat on it?
  Of course you can – Butchers have used Ash and Oak for cutting meat on for 1000’s of years, as long as it’s wiped then allowed to dry it should be fine, even if it does get a bit stained sometimes. Just remember the rules when handling raw meat.

BEST OPTIONS FOR SEALING CUTTING BOARDS

• Do I really need to use oil?

Some recommend that you don’t oil them at all because that can trap moisture but I find it helps to keep them clean and stop dirt penetrating so as long as you don’t slap oil on it every day I think it’s fine.

1. What Oil is best?

   What Chopping Board Oil is best?

   
   It’s always best to buy a ready made oil that is especially suited and foodsafe to protect your chopping boards and wooden kitchen utensils. Although there are cheap chopping board oils mentioned below

   What do I use for maintaining my wooden kitchen items and chopping boards?

   I’m always looking for the easiest solution, otherwise I tend not to do it enough.
   For this reason I recommend you grab a small bottle of Gilly’s by clicking the link below. 

   1. Gilly’s Chopping Board Oil – I find this small bottle of food-grade oil is best for maintaining wooden chopping boards, spoons, spatulas and any other wooden kitchen utensils. It has a nice fresh orange aroma and has rave reviews.
      Keep a bottle handy in your kitchen!
      Purchase your very own bottle here in My Shop, for a bargain price, only $5 postage for a limited time.
      
      

   

   
   
   
2. I also use Livos Countertop Oil on the wood to seal it when I make them, that’s the best hardwax oil I’ve ever tried and it’s fully natural, unlike others that have poisons & drying agents even though they claim to be all natural.
   

   So you could always buy a tin of this if you have a few raw timber boards you need to finish but there are some alternatives below that are easy to find at your local supermarkets or chemists.

   

    

Other Cheap Oils Commonly Used on Wooden Kitchen Products

1. Some people rub Canola Oil on every now and then but I’ve heard mixed reports – some say it goes rancid eventually. This is the same with most vegetable oils.
   But if it’s getting constant use and not left sitting in a damp dark cupboard for 6 months I think you’ll be fine with any oil.
   
   

2. Grapeseed Oil

   is better, less likely to go rancid.
   This is a great natural chopping board oil & available in most supermarkets such as Coles, Woolworths or IGA.
   
   

3. Coconut Oil

   Is great for use on chopping boards any many other uses (see below). In our cold winter it is solid in the jar though so you need to heat it first to make it liquid,  easily done with a hair dryer on the board while you rub it in with your hand being careful not to overheat.
   
   I’ve been using it on pine chopping boards and the Beard Combs and it adds a nice colour which is surprising because it looks white in the jar when solid. It’s also totally natural, edible, anti-fungal, anti-bacterial, so I think it’s possibly the best choice I’ve come across at the local shops.
   
   
4. Coconut Oil has many uses & benefits to your health but there are some things you may not be aware of.
   If you would like to learn more about the health effects (and topical uses!) of coconut oil, its potential benefits and downsides, and its components such as lauric acid and MCTs.
   please visit Gerard’s helpful website called ManyEats. A wealth of information!
   https://manyeats.com/health-effects-of-coconut-oil/
   
   
   
   
5. The other alternative many woodworkers use and recommend is
   Mineral Oil – also known as
   

   Liquid Paraffin Oil

   a highly refined mineral oil sold in the chemist as a laxative so it is safe to use on chopping boards, it’s a liquid so sold in a bottle usually.
   I used to use it on my chopping boards but these days I’ve gone more for natural oil products, rather than products from industries that are bad for the environment.
   (PETROLEUM PRODUCT WARNING!)
   
   Conclusion
   Your best bet is to use an oil that is all natural, great for your health and the environment.
   Not something that is just cheap and easy to buy locally.
   Order the best oil online from me and you’ll have a bottle handy in your kitchen for many years to come.
   Posting out each week day, you’ll have it in no time!
   
   Don’t forget to pick up a 2-pack of my highly recommended lint free cloths to apply the oil to your chopping board.
   They are washable, just throw them in your machine and re-use them over and over. Great value for money.
   
   

   

Hopefully that helps answer some of your questions about the best oils for chopping boards & I haven’t confused you with all my rambling on!
Please contact me if you have any questions about your wooden kitchen items.
With a little care you will continue to enjoy beautiful wooden kitchen wares in your kitchen for many years to come.

Thanks for reading all the way to the bottom of my page!

If you appreciate the information I provided here please consider making a purchase from my handmade Australian wood products shop
or
Biome Australia, – I will earn a small commision on any items you buy through this link and that would be a great help to my small business and inspire me to do more useful articles on my Blog in future.

I only promote natural environmentally-friendy products that I use and recommend myself.

Regards
Andrew Wilkerson

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