I bought a bamboo cutting board a few days ago which marks my first wood cutting board. I also bought some food-grade mineral oil to treat it. Still, I have a few questions that some of you wise kitchen-dopers might be able to help with…
First, I bought “extra heavy mineral oil” (it was all they had) to treat it and after applying some, the board looks darker as if it’s soaking some up a tiny bit, but it doesn’t seem to soak much oil up. Should I assume this is just a combination of using extra heavy oil on a bamboo board (which are less porous than other woods, correct?)? I’ve repeatedly applied a layer of oil, waited a while, and wipe up the excess with a paper towel. Regardless, whenever I touch the board it still feels “oily” and I can see my finger get shiny. Is that normal?
Second, I know various websites say to get rid of smells (garlic, for example) and disinfect you can rub the cutting board down with some plain white vinegar. I did this, and now my cutting board no longer smells like garlic; it smells like vinegar (which is, IMO, about on the same level as garlic). Will that smell dissipate on its own?
Third, how often should I treat the board with oil? Some websites say monthly, some say weekly. Will cleaning it warrant a new oil treatment?
If anyone has any general tips or tricks for wood cutting boards, I’d love to know them as well! Thanks.
I’d give it a wipe down with a oil dampened paper towel whenever you wash it. Bamboo will not absorb like maple will so you will need to wipe more off.
Buy the cheapest generic mineral oil you can find. Anything else is a scam.
One tip: when I worked in a carpentry shop, we’d occasionally be commissioned to make built-in cutting surfaces. Instead of paying $20 for the bottle of “cutting board oil,” we’d go to the drug store and get a bottle of “digestive lubricant” for $1.85. They’re both just plain mineral oil. Exactly the same thing, and works fine.
I oil wood cutting boards once a day for a week, once a week for a month, then once a month forever. I wash them in hot water with a nylon scrubber and only rarely use soap.
It’s best to have multiple cutting boards to avoid cross contamination, especially if you’re preparing meat and raw vegetables at the same time.
My understanding is that vegetable oils tend to go rancid, so that the board will start to smell bad after this happens. That’s the reason that mineral oil is suggested for cutting boards.
