Martin’s Woodworks

Caring for your bowl or cutting board

Wood items tend to shrink and expand during normal environmental changes, as in extreme heat and cold, and also by the humidity in different sections of our country. Examples could be explained by comparing the southeast portion of our country to the southwest part. The southeast usually has more humid conditions and the southwest is more dry. If you live in a very humid area there could be cause for less frequent care of wood made products. If you live in a very dry part of our country there is reason to treat your products more often. Therefore, the care of your fine hand made items from Martin's Woodworks might vary depending on your location.  The following upkeep instructions are by no means the only way to preserve food grade wood products but here is my recommendation. First, a reminder: to avoid warping, you should never soak your wood products in water and definitely do not put them in the dishwasher. Be sure to dry wood products thoroughly after cleaning, and store cutting boards upright to dry. After each use: Rinse the surface of the cutting board or the inside of the bowl with water. Use a clean cloth or paper towel to rub on white vinegar, or keep the vinegar in a spray bottle to spray it on the surface. Then use another cloth to wipe the surface down with hydrogen peroxide. This will clean and disinfect the board or bowl.  Occasionally for stronger disinfecting: A bleach solution can be used periodically, but use this sparingly to avoid drying out the wood. Put 1 teaspoon of liquid bleach into a 1 pint spray bottle and fill the rest of the bottle with water. Spray the surface and let stand for ten minutes. Dampen a clean cloth or paper towel with water and wipe the solution from the surface, then immediately rub dry with a clean cloth. To remove stains or odors: Salt and lemon can be used to remove stains or odors as needed. Sprinkle a coarse salt on the board and rub it over the surface with the cut end of half a lemon. Once a month: Your board or bowl should be treated with a food grade oil once a month, or more often if needed. This will preserve the beauty of your wood products by keeping the wood from drying out. I have discovered a very good food grade product for wood items. The product is Howard's Butcher Block Conditioner, and it is sold in most hardware stores. The conditioner is a mixture of food grade mineral oil and beeswax, and it will help you keep your cutting boards and bowls beautiful for many years. The Howard's Butcher Block Conditioner is very thick due to the beeswax. I have discovered that while waiting for the bowl or the board to dry it is best to bring a small sauce pan of water to near boiling and take it away from the stove. Open the conditioner lid to vent the bottle, and place the open bottle in the water to melt the beeswax. You will notice that the conditioner is now more liquid than waxy. Now you can easily spread the liquid onto the surface and use a dry clean cloth or a paper towel to paint the surface and let it soak into the wood. Let it stand for at least ten minutes and wipe off the excess. Repeat this every month and your treasures will last for many years.
Martin’s Woodworks, Pullman, Washington
Martin’s Woodworks

Caring for your bowl or

cutting board

Wood items tend to shrink and expand during normal environmental changes, as in extreme heat and cold, and also by the humidity in different sections of our country. Examples could be explained by comparing the southeast portion of our country to the southwest part. The southeast usually has more humid conditions and the southwest is more dry. If you live in a very humid area there could be cause for less frequent care of wood made products. If you live in a very dry part of our country there is reason to treat your products more often. Therefore, the care of your fine hand made items from Martin's Woodworks might vary depending on your location.  The following upkeep instructions are by no means the only way to preserve food grade wood products but here is my recommendation. First, a reminder: to avoid warping, you should never soak your wood products in water and definitely do not put them in the dishwasher. Be sure to dry wood products thoroughly after cleaning, and store cutting boards upright to dry. After each use: Rinse the surface of the cutting board or the inside of the bowl with water. Use a clean cloth or paper towel to rub on white vinegar, or keep the vinegar in a spray bottle to spray it on the surface. Then use another cloth to wipe the surface down with hydrogen peroxide. This will clean and disinfect the board or bowl.  Occasionally for stronger disinfecting: A bleach solution can be used periodically, but use this sparingly to avoid drying out the wood. Put 1 teaspoon of liquid bleach into a 1 pint spray bottle and fill the rest of the bottle with water. Spray the surface and let stand for ten minutes. Dampen a clean cloth or paper towel with water and wipe the solution from the surface, then immediately rub dry with a clean cloth. To remove stains or odors: Salt and lemon can be used to remove stains or odors as needed. Sprinkle a coarse salt on the board and rub it over the surface with the cut end of half a lemon. Once a month: Your board or bowl should be treated with a food grade oil once a month, or more often if needed. This will preserve the beauty of your wood products by keeping the wood from drying out. I have discovered a very good food grade product for wood items. The product is Howard's Butcher Block Conditioner, and it is sold in most hardware stores. The conditioner is a mixture of food grade mineral oil and beeswax, and it will help you keep your cutting boards and bowls beautiful for many years. The Howard's Butcher Block Conditioner is very thick due to the beeswax. I have discovered that while waiting for the bowl or the board to dry it is best to bring a small sauce pan of water to near boiling and take it away from the stove. Open the conditioner lid to vent the bottle, and place the open bottle in the water to melt the beeswax. You will notice that the conditioner is now more liquid than waxy. Now you can easily spread the liquid onto the surface and use a dry clean cloth or a paper towel to paint the surface and let it soak into the wood. Let it stand for at least ten minutes and wipe off the excess. Repeat this every month and your treasures will last for many years.
Martin’s Woodworks, Pullman, Washington