Spring is here and along with it come a big chore: spring cleaning. Spring cleaning is usually a refresh for your home, whether that means getting rid of old things or simply cleaning the things that you have. For wood cutting boards, the sustainable choice is to make sure you are taking proper care of your cutting board and cleaning it the right way. 

Properly knowing how to clean and maintain kitchenware has become somewhat of a lost art these days. Dirty dishes? Throw them in the dishwasher of course! Dull knives? Run them through an electric sharpener. Warped cutting board? Toss it and buy a new one. But, as we said before, that's not necessarily the sustainable "cleaning" option, and it can get expensive if you're talking about butcher blocks and larger wood chopping blocks. 

Here are the three main rules of cleaning your wood cutting board: Clean, Dry, and Oil. 

1) Clean
If you don't read anything else in this blog, read this: do not put your wood cutting boards in the dishwasher or let it soak in water. Cleaning your wood cutting board in the dishwasher will cause it to dry out immediately, warp, and ultimately crack. To clean your wood cutting board, use hot water and mild soap in your sink. We recommend using a sponge or dish brush to clean as anything with wire bristles can scratch your board. 

2) Dry
Drying your board is an important step that is often missing when cleaning a wood cutting board. Like most other hand-washed dishes, it's often thrown to the side of the sink to air dry. While this is still better than being heat dried in the dishwasher, laying your wood cutting board flat on the counter while still wet can cause the water to puddle on the grain and will eventually warp your board as well. 

The best way to dry your wood cutting board is to dry with a towel and stand it upright on one of its ends so all the excess water that is not absorbed by the towel can seep down through the ends. 

3) Oil
To keep your wood cutting board like new and to make sure it lasts for years to come, oiling your wood cutting board every 1-3 months (depending on use) will keep it in tip-top condition. The type of oil is an important detail, too. The best oil for your wood cutting boards is a food-safe mineral oil that can be found on our website here. The mineral oil is very close to the wood's natural oils and will soak in nicely to keep your board glowing for years. Using other food oils such as olive oil or avocado oil can actually go rancid over time and will eventually spoil your wood cutting board. Please note: your wood cutting board may need to dry in an upright position overnight to make sure all moisture is gone before you apply the cutting board oil. 

Spring cleaning can be a daunting task, and while hand washing your kitchenware is not the most time-saving, it will definitely be money-saving in the end. Here's a reminder of a few things to avoid when cleaning your wood cutting boards:

• Leave your cutting board soaking in water. The water will expand the wood fibers and crack the wood.
• Let any fluids pool on the wood for long periods so that it soaks in (i.e. juices, meat by-products, etc.)
• Put your cutting board into the dishwasher. The high heat and water is guaranteed to warp your board at best and split it in half at worst!

With only a few minutes of care, you can easily keep any cutting board in pristine condition for years to come, not to mention keep your prime working surface sanitary for you and your guests!