This information applies to both cutting and charcuterie boards.  

1. To clean your cutting board, first get anything stuck to it off then use  warm water to get it wet. 

2. Apply a small amount of dish soap to a sponge or dish washing rag before scrubbing. Scrub every surface you use for cutting.

3. Rinse the cutting board, making sure to rinse all surfaces and edges even if you don’t cut on them. This distributes moisture evenly on the board to help prevent cracking. 

4. Once everything is rinsed off well, set it aside to dry.

I recommend reapplying oil/finish to your cutting board every 3 to 4 weeks at a minimum, but you will be able to tell when your board needs it as the wood will dull over use as the mineral oil leaves the surface. Reapplying finish or re-oiling helps keep the cutting board from drying out. The cheapest finish you can get is any food grade mineral oil. Here is an example of food grade mineral oil you can purchase on Amazon. You can also use a blend of mineral oil and wax, which is what I recommend. After having mixed my own blend for awhile I’ve been using Howard’s Butcher Block Conditioner. This has mineral oils and waxes - all food grade - already blended and it is readily found at Home Depot and Amazon. Simply shake the bottle well to mix it up before using. The wax will help keep the mineral oil in the board a bit longer and it also polishes it up nicely. To reapply finish, whether you choose mineral oil or a blend of mineral oil and wax, the steps are the same.  Click below to see a demonstration I recorded on one of our cutting boards.

1. Pour some of your chosen finish to one side of the board then use a paper towel to spread it around with a paper towel. This distributes the oil/finish around and allows it to soak in a bit. Be sure to spread some onto the edges as well.  

2. Use a clean unused paper towel to wipe it off thoroughly. 

3. Flip then repeat the above on the other side. 

4. Set it aside to dry.