How Cutting Board Oil Can Improve the Life of Your Favourite Kitchen Accessory

A cutting board is the most used product in our kitchen, and with a quality wooden board in use, they can be even more valuable. Nowadays, people like to not only prepare their meals on these elegant boards, but also use them as serving plates at meal time.

While a wooden cutting board is far more durable and safe to our knives and benchtops, they do require a little extra love and attention. Regular cleaning of your board is essential as well as applying an oil for cutting boards to keep it looking good and working at its best.

Acacia wood cutting boards are one of the most popular types of material used for superior cutting boards, and this unique wood has a range of benefits to the owner. Just like any quality wood, though, you will need to care for it correctly with a mineral oil cutting board product and regular cleaning.

Unique Acacia Wood

Acacia is a species of hardwood, known for its gorgeous colours and durability. This unique wood is the ideal material for a cutting board as it’s strong enough to withstand years of use, but is also very resistant to scratches and dents.

Another reason for acacia’s popularity, particularly with cutting boards, is its affordability. Of all the quality hardwood options, it comes in at just a fraction of the price of the others. Just because it’s more cost-effective does not mean the wood is inferior, as it has all of the same benefits of the other hardwoods.

The surface of an acacia wood cutting board is soft to the touch, meaning your knives and benchtop will remain unharmed as you cook. However, this gentle surface covers a strong and durable wood that will last your kitchen for many years.

Woods need to be cared for, whether they’re in our furniture, homes, or kitchen accessories. Maintaining and caring for an acacia wood chopping board can be done with regular cleaning and a cutting board oil applied every so often.

Benefits of Oiling Your Cutting Board

There are many advantages to oiling your cutting board regularly, and it’s such a simple job with dramatic effects that you may find yourself wanting to do it all the time. Here are just a few of the benefits from applying chopping board oil to your acacia:

• Once oiled, your cutting board will look as close to new as possible and it will restore the shine that was once on its surface.
• Regular oiling will help to keep the rich colour of the acacia, one of the best qualities of this unique wood.
• Oiling your wooden cutting boards means that the oil enters small scratches and dents creating less space for harmful bacteria to enter.
• As acacia and other hardwoods can be prone to cracking over time, a regular oil will keep the grains moisturised and prevent them from splitting.
• When oiled with the right product, your board will become even more water resistant so it can be saved from warping when it comes in contact with moisture.

Best Acacia Wood Cutting Board Oil

When selecting an oil for wood cutting board, there are a few important things to consider. Always choose an oil free from fats, as these can enter the cracks of the wood and turn rancid over time, leaving a very unpleasant smell.

While there are many options available for specially marketed wood oils, the best oil for cutting boards is a mineral based food grade one. This cheap and effective product has all of the best qualities to help prolong the life of your acacia wood board.

Mineral oil is odourless and colourless, so it is ideal for wooden cutting boards. The natural properties of this oil make the wood water-resistant so it’s ideal for keeping moisture out which can damage the boards.

How to Oil a Cutting Board

Now that you have the best oil for the job, you’ll need to follow a few simple steps to finish the process. Allow for one to two days for the entire job, as there is some drying time in between steps.

Clean Your Board

Besides the regular cleaning you should be doing after each use, it is helpful to give it a thorough clean before you decide to oil the board. Using white vinegar, scrub this into the board and let the pH levels of this product remove any excess germs or food particles left behind.

Allow Time to Dry

After a thorough clean, leave your board out in the open air to dry. It’s best to do this overnight so you can ensure that no moisture is trapped deep inside the wood grains.

Oil Your Board

Take your mineral oil for cutting board use and soak a clean, dry rag with it. In slow and steady movements, coat the surface of the board with enough oil so that you can see it.

Allow the Oil to Dry

After applying the oil, you’ll need to leave the board again to dry completely. Try to oil it at night before retiring to bed and let it sit overnight for the best results.

Remove Excess

Check the surface of your board the following day to see if you need to remove any excess oil. If the surface is sticky or oily feeling, get a new, dry cloth and make small circular motions over the top to remove any remaining oil.

The first time you oil your board, you can be a little more generous with the oil as this will allow it to reach deep into the surface. Once the board has been broken in, only apply enough oil to cover the surface without applying too much. With these few simple steps, you’ll be adding years to the life of your favourite kitchen accessory.