You are the proud owner of a beautiful wooden cutting board. It's time to learn how to care for her in order to extend her life for many years. Proper Care behind a cutting board will prevent the appearance of cracks, mold and germs. And does not matter, new board or old.

When you buy a new cutting board, process it immediately wooden surface oil to protect against moisture, bacteria and food odors. This procedure should be repeated regularly as the oil dries. The oil fills the pores of the wood and prevents the penetration of liquids and food particles.

What kind of oil can be used?

Any oil that meets two requirements is suitable: safe for humans (for ingestion) and resistance to spoilage at room temperature. Please note that vegetable oil(for example, sunflower and olive) do not meet the second requirement, because they deteriorate over time, regardless of the degree of their purification. A cutting board soaked in this oil, after 1-2 years, acquires bad smell rancid spoiled oil. It is impossible to get rid of this smell, and the board will have to be thrown away.

Mineral oil

Best for prevention mineral oil, which you can buy in our store. Mineral oil has no smell or taste. It is absolutely safe for humans.

Wipe the board with mineral oil and let it soak in, then remove the remaining oil with a dry, clean cloth. Don't be afraid to apply too much oil - in this case, the bigger, the better. Wipe down your board at least once a month.

Beeswax

Beeswax is often added to mineral oil to add density. Wax has been used for centuries as a sealant to keep moisture out of baskets, fabrics, food storage, and more. perishable products, as well as for tree care. Wax increases moisture resistance (though still does not make the wood waterproof), helps protect the cutting board from wear and water. The wax remains on the surface, filling the pores and crevices, while the oil is absorbed into the wood and cannot create such protective film. The wax layer does not allow moisture, bacteria and dirt particles to penetrate into the wooden surface. In addition, after waxing, the board becomes smooth and pleasant to the touch, acquires a delicate and pleasant aroma.

Board ointment, consisting of beeswax and mineral oil, you can also buy in our store. It is similar in texture to butter. Apply a layer of ointment on the board, rub it with a dry cloth, then let it dry for a while and then polish the board to a shine.

Other means

For prevention, you can use a number of vegetable oils, which are very expensive, but certainly good for health. coconut and linseed oil contain a large number of saturated fats, so they do not spoil for years. They do not need to be refrigerated, but direct sunlight should be avoided.

Disinfection

All cutting boards, regardless of type, require regular cleaning and disinfection. Below are a few recommended options for caring for cutting boards.

Hot water + detergent

Scientific studies have shown that this is the most optimal method of disinfecting any cutting board.

Any surfactant-based detergent can be used, such as dishwashing detergent or liquid soap. Surfactant-based disinfectants remove any contamination along with bacteria, and at the same time are absolutely safe for humans. An important factor is that these products do not cause corrosion of metals.

The cleaning procedure is slightly different for large and small cutting boards. If the board is placed in the sink, then clean it with detergent and hot water from the tap, then rinse and dry.

You cannot put a large board in the sink and wash it under running water, so it must be cleaned in the same way as, for example, dinner table- using a damp sponge and detergent. Don't forget to wipe the board dry at the end and make sure that there is no moisture left under the board (especially if it has no legs).

NEVER immerse a wooden cutting board in a sink filled with water or wash it in dishwasher. Water will penetrate into the pores of the wood, and after drying, the board will begin to crack. The exceptions are boards from composite materials or water-repellent wood (hevea).

Vinegar

After use, the cutting board can be wiped with colorless table vinegar. The acetic acid contained in food vinegar effectively kills pathogenic bacteria (E. coli, salmonella and staphylococcus aureus). People who are allergic to other disinfectants may prefer to use vinegar.

Vinegar is conveniently stored in a spray bottle. This will allow you to easily clean and disinfect the surface of the board. After processing the board, let it dry well.

Unfortunately, acetic acid destroys fats, including those found in board prevention oils. Therefore, after using vinegar, we recommend re-treating the surface of the board with mineral oil or ointment.

Hydrogen peroxide

Hydrogen peroxide is an effective bacteria killer on cutting board surfaces. The board must first be thoroughly washed (peroxide is ineffective on a dirty surface), and then wiped with a cloth moistened with a 3% hydrogen peroxide solution (if necessary, you can dilute it with water).

Bath Cleaner

Most effective means disinfection - chlorine-containing. We are talking about cleaning products for baths and toilets, as well as bleaches. Working with them requires extreme caution and protective equipment, since contact with the eyes and mucous membranes should not be allowed.

Be extremely careful! Wear rubber gloves and goggles when handling. Good ventilation is a must because of the bad smell.

Dilute the cleaning agent in water (one teaspoon per liter of water). For the disinfectant solution to work effectively, the surface must be clean. Pour the solution onto the board, wait a few minutes, then rinse thoroughly and air dry or with paper towels.

NEVER mix chlorine-based cleaners with others (combining with vinegar will produce toxic chloroform). They are also extremely corrosive, so keep your knives away.

• To remove the smell of garlic, onion or fish, there are three simple ways: lemon, coarse salt and soda. Rub the surface of the board with one thing, wait a few minutes, brush off the residue, rinse and dry the board.
• Always clean your board thoroughly after cutting fish, meat and game.
• When not in use, keep the board dry. Without moisture, bacteria die within a few hours. Moisture and liquids of any kind should not be present on the surface of the board for a long time. If the board is without legs and you are storing it horizontally on the countertop, always make sure that no water accumulates under the board.
• Do not leave a cutting board near a heat source (stove, radiator) unless the necessary insulation is installed. wood hard rock high temperature is contraindicated.
• Do not drill the board, gouge holes or otherwise damage the surface without refinishing the wood.
• Do not use only one place on the cutting surface. Spread the work across the board so that the wear is even.
• Do not use a sharpened cleaver - it can split the tree.
• Do not wash knives, forks and other utensils on the cutting board.

Video

Cutting board maintenance is what you need to keep your wooden cutting board looking attractive and safe for your health for a long time. The board needs to be washed, cleaned, periodically processed by special means. In the article I will dwell on all issues in more detail.

How to wash a cutting board

Wooden cutting boards should never be washed in. It is also impossible to soak a contaminated board in water for a long time, because. this can cause the wood to swell and crack after drying.

To avoid any problems with the cutting board, clean it immediately after use, do not let food lie on it for a long time. You can wash, well, or with dishwashing detergent, using a cloth or sponge. Do not use strong detergents.

How to clean a cutting board

If the cutting board is heavily soiled, then ordinary table vinegar can be used for disinfection. You should treat the wooden surface with a cloth dipped in vinegar and rinse it.
The same disinfectant effect can be obtained by using lemon juice.

By the way, in enterprises Catering according to the sanitary and epidemiological rules, the meat chopping block is cleaned and salt is added at the end of the day. This prevents the growth of pathogenic bacteria. Therefore, cutting boards can be cleaned with salt. You can successfully combine cleaning a wooden board with lemon and salt, as shown in the video.

It is better to refrain from cleaning the board with various cleaning powders and pastes, since there is no complete certainty that detergents will not remain in small cuts, and from there they will not get onto the processed products.

How and what to process a cutting board

In order for a wooden cutting board to look attractive, not absorb various unpleasant odors, and to prevent the growth of bacteria, it must be treated with mineral oil and wax.

Do not use vegetable oil to impregnate a cutting board. As the oil turns yellow over time, it acquires an unpleasant odor.

You can ask me: "Where can I get mineral oil?". The answer is in the pharmacy.

Normal Vaseline oil And there is the very mineral oil. Although it is produced from oil, it is completely harmless to human health. It is used internally as medicine. Therefore, it is ideal for processing a cutting board.

To process the board, you need to prepare oil and a rag. Pour the oil on the board and rub the oil in a circular motion with a cloth. Don't be afraid to add extra oil. Wood will absorb as much as it needs. In this way, you will close or, one might say, seal the pores in the wood and bacteria, rods and any other bad things will not run amok in them. Also, such a coating will have waterproofing properties.

A new plank should be treated with oil twice, at intervals of several hours, so that the oil is well absorbed. Simply remove excess oil that has not been absorbed with a cloth or paper towel.

The recipe is not complicated. You need to take one part of wax and 4 parts of vaseline oil.

Heat the oil in a water bath and dissolve the wax chips in it. To speed up the process, the mixture can be heated to microwave oven.

Before the procedure, you can warm it up a little in the microwave (if it fits there). Then cover it on all sides with the prepared mixture with a brush or a clean cloth. Let the mixture soak in and dry.

Impregnation with a mixture differs from impregnation with just oil - it is considered more durable and strong, it can close not only pores, but small cracks and cuts. Such processing of a wooden plank must be repeated periodically - at least once every three months.

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In my kitchen there are cutting boards and wooden spoons lost their former shine, and began to look a little parched. Plus, the wife washes them in the dishwasher, as a result of which cracks began to appear on them.

Asking about the return of its former beauty, I heard about the "Soviet oil" and decided to apply this recipe in my own kitchen.

Step 1. Ingredients

• Wax. I needed quality beeswax. I found it on the market in the form of small granules. There was an option to buy from a local beekeeper, but I did not like its color - it was too dark.

Pay attention to the composition: you need beeswax, not mixed with paraffin or other cheaper waxes. Pure beeswax has antibacterial properties for which it is valued. It can also be bought whole and grated.

• Mineral oil I bought in a pharmacy for 60 rubles. Oil options from hardware stores are not suitable.

Don't use olive oil or coconut oil, as they will eventually turn rancid, while mineral oil will not. I still do not advise buying ready-made oils for impregnation kitchen utensils, since there is no certainty that they are suitable for food surfaces.

• Glass jar: I used a 200 ml jar, which was enough to process all wooden products that I had, and even left a little in reserve. I chose a jar with a screw cap.
• measuring spoon A: A tablespoon works well. If the jar has a narrow neck, you can use a teaspoon, the main thing is to keep the proportions.

Step 2: Mix and Melt

The recipes I found usually mix one part beeswax with three parts mineral oil. For my kitchen utensils, I used 2 tablespoons of beeswax and 6 tablespoons of mineral oil.

How to melt beeswax and mineral oil?

• Option 1. Place the jar in a pot of water on the stove (make sure the water level is lower than the rim of the jar - it should only be half or a little more submerged) and bring the water to a boil. Remember to periodically stir the contents of the jar until the beeswax and mineral oil melt together.
• Option 2. Place the jar in the microwave and heat for 30 seconds, then stir. Repeat the 30 second heating and stirring process until the beeswax and mineral oil melt together.

Once the ingredients are melted, carefully remove the jar from the pot or microwave using a towel or oven mitt (careful - the jar will be very hot) and let it cool to room temperature.

Step 3. Applying the composition to wooden products

Make sure the wood surface is clean and dry.

I scooped up a tablespoon of oil for a medium-sized cutting board and smeared it all over the surface with my hands. The warmth of the hands melted the oil, and it was well absorbed into the wood.

Then I left the processed wooden utensils for 12 hours so that it can absorb the oil well.

The next day I used soft tissue(can paper towel) to remove everything that has not been absorbed from the surface (but usually the oil is completely absorbed). The end result should be nice. smooth surface with a slight sheen.

The remaining oil (covered, of course) can be stored at room temperature for a long time, for example, for the next processing.