How do you treat fresh cutting boards for food?

[Sjalabais]

I took down a birch tree for fire wood. It had a nice root and we need cutting boards for the kitchen; to cut meat, serve pizza etc. So here we go. They're far from ready, but how would you treat the surface to make them withstand food stains, retain their colour, and that without poisoning us?

[G-dog]

After sanding and all that - you use a food grade mineral oil, or just a vegetable oil. I just got a small wood cutting board from IKEA with the instructions to oil the finished board twice. Oil the board, wipe off excess, let stand overnight. Repeat.

I did it 3 times and the oil was still soaking into the wood.

You can also use this to recondition a wood cutting board, optionally lightly sand it first.

NEVER clean it in the dishwasher or let it sit in water...

Have fun with this!

[Moonwaves]

After sanding and all that - you use a food grade mineral oil, or just a vegetable oil. I just got a small wood cutting board from IKEA with the instructions to oil the finished board twice. Oil the board, wipe off excess, let stand overnight. Repeat.

I did it 3 times and the oil was still soaking into the wood.

You can also use this to recondition a wood cutting board, optionally lightly sand it first.

NEVER clean it in the dishwasher or let it sit in water...

Have fun with this!

I just did exactly the same thing a couple of weeks ago. Bought a tiny small bottle of linseed oil before I was undone by oil-choice-paralysis and then looked at it for about a month before actually doing it. I didn't read the instructions properly at first and so hadn't wiped off the excess and then was wondering why it was taking so long for the board to dry. Second coat was much more successful. Since I was doing the new one, I also did the smaller older bamboo board I have. I read about oiling wooden things years ago and always meant to do it. Hoping that now I've done it once, I'll make the effort to do it a couple of times a year. They look really well.

Today I did the same thing with the wooden salad serving set I have and the one wooden spoon that I still have. I also plan to do the top of the kitchen trolley I have, as that is the main counter space I have in my new place. Feeling very grown-up and accomplished now, I have to admit. :)

[CmFtns]

you put this on them:
https://www.walmart.com/ip/Equate-Mineral-Oil-Intestinal-Lubricant-16-fl-oz/44807472

[Sjalabais]

Thanks, sounds good! Is there a difference between oils? Say is there a choice that doesn't yellow the wood as much?

[lthenderson]

My favorite is to put a 50/50 mix of mineral oil and beeswax in a bowl and nuke it for a few seconds until it is warm and runny. Apply onto cutting board evenly and let stand for 10 to 15 minutes before wiping off the excess. I find the beeswax gives it more protection from staining that just using mineral oil or other types of oil alone. I do this about every two or three months on our butcher block.

[CmFtns]

My favorite is to put a 50/50 mix of mineral oil and beeswax in a bowl and nuke it for a few seconds until it is warm and runny. Apply onto cutting board evenly and let stand for 10 to 15 minutes before wiping off the excess. I find the beeswax gives it more protection from staining that just using mineral oil or other types of oil alone. I do this about every two or three months on our butcher block.

I also use a beeswax and USP mineral oil as a final coat but when you are first treating untreated wood just keep putting pure mineral oil on it till it won't soak up any more then do a beeswax as a final coat and reapply the beeswax mixture as needed

[Sjalabais]

Thanks for the tips!