Wooden Cutting Board Care: What to Do (and What to Avoid)
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Wood cutting boards are durable, beautiful, and naturally antibacterial—but only if you treat them right. You may already know how to clean them day-to-day (and if not, check out our full cleaning guide here), but good care goes beyond soap and water.
This article covers the dos and don’ts of wooden cutting board care, so your board stays safe, functional, and long-lasting.
Table of Contents
- Don’t: Let It Soak or Sit in Water
- Do: Dry It Right Away
- Don’t: Let Your Cutting Board Get Extremely Dry
- Do: Oil Your Board Regularly
- Don’t: Use the Dishwasher (Ever)
- Do: Clean Immediately After Cutting Meat
- Don’t: Modify the Cutting Board Without Treating Surfaces
- Do: Sand and Refresh When Needed
- Don’t: Use Harsh Chemicals or Bleach
- Do: Keep One Side “Pretty” for Serving (or Not)
- Don’t: Skip Maintenance If You Want It to Last
- Bonus Tips
- Wooden Cutting Board Care in a Nutshell
Don’t: Let It Soak or Sit in Water
Wood is porous. If you leave your cutting board in the sink or let liquids pool on the surface, it’ll soak them up like a sponge. Extreme humidity can cause the wood to swell, weakening the structure of the board. Instead, scrape off food, rinse the board with warm, soapy water.
Do: Dry It Right Away
After cleaning, dry your board thoroughly with a clean towel. Then stand it up on its edge to finish air drying. This helps both sides dry evenly and prevents warping.
Leaving your board flat on the counter with one wet side trapped underneath is asking for trouble—warping, mildew, or worse.
Don’t: Let Your Cutting Board Get Extremely Dry
Never let your cutting board get extremely dry, or place on or near excessive heat (such as a stove). They are wood, and can burn. Even if they don’t catch fire, excessive dryness can cause cracking or breakage.
Do: Oil Your Board Regularly
Oiling your board keeps it from drying out, cracking, or absorbing too much moisture. Once a month is a good rule of thumb—or more often in dry climates or during winter when indoor heat sucks the moisture out of everything.
Use a high quality, food-safe mineral oil or a beeswax board cream made for cutting boards.
How to oil:
- Start with a clean, dry board.
- Rub in a generous amount of oil with a soft cloth or paper towel.
- Let it soak in overnight, or until the oil fully absorbs.
- Wipe off the excess the next day.
Avoid cooking oils like olive or vegetable oil—they can go rancid and smell bad.
Don’t: Use the Dishwasher (Ever)
Dishwashers are a wooden board’s worst nightmare. The hot water and steam dry it out, the detergent is too harsh, and the prolonged soaking causes warping or cracking. Even just once can damage a board beyond repair.
Do: Clean Immediately After Cutting Meat
Never leave your cutting board sitting dirty after cutting meat. Always wash the block thoroughly with dish soap and warm water after cutting fish, red meat or fowl. Wipe dry and allow to air dry completely before storage.
Don’t: Modify the Cutting Board Without Treating Surfaces
Never cut off ends, drill holes, make cutouts, or otherwise deface surfaces without refinishing the exposed unfinished wood. If your wooden cutting board has a warranty, you’ll void the warranty. Plus, you could damage the structure of the board. Be careful if you want to make major changes to your cutting board.
Do: Sand and Refresh When Needed
If your board starts to feel rough or shows deep knife grooves, give it a light sanding with fine-grit sandpaper (220 is a good choice). Always sand with the grain, then wipe clean and reapply oil. This quick refresh can make your board feel new again.
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To avoid damaging your board, keep your knives sharp, so you don’t need to apply extra pressure to cut. Skip razor edge cleavers, which can chip or splinter the wood and create soft spots. Your cleaver should have a duel sharpened edge for best results.
Don’t: Use Harsh Chemicals or Bleach
Bleach may seem like a good idea if you’re worried about germs, but it’s too harsh for wood. It can dry out the surface and break down the wood fibers over time.
Instead, use natural sanitizers like:
- White vinegar – Kills most bacteria without damaging the wood.
- Salt and lemon – Scrub with coarse salt and a cut lemon to remove odors and grime.
Do: Keep One Side “Pretty” for Serving (or Not)
If you use your board for both prep and presentation, consider dedicating one side for chopping and the other for serving. That way, your charcuterie doesn’t have to share space with onion scars or knife marks.
If you need or want to use both sides of the board, distribute your cutting over the entire work surface so that it will wear evenly. We have some boards with drain channels around the outside edge, so we use that side for cutting wet items, like watermelon. We use the flat side for serving, and cutting drier foods.
Regular oiling is extra important if you want to keep your boards looking good.
Don’t: Skip Maintenance If You Want It to Last
A neglected board will warp, split, or stink. A cared-for board can last for decades—and even improve with age. (I personally appreciate the patina of a well-loved board.)
Bonus Tips
- Watch for smells – If your board starts smelling funky, it may be time for a deeper clean or deodorizing (salt and lemon to the rescue).
- No nonstick spray – It leaves a residue that’s hard to remove and doesn’t belong on wood.
- Cut evenly – Avoid chopping in the same spot over and over. It helps your board wear more evenly.
Wooden Cutting Board Care in a Nutshell
Wooden cutting boards are tough, but they’re not indestructible. Think of your board like a good cast iron pan—it’ll take care of you if you take care of it. Clean it promptly, dry it thoroughly, oil it regularly, and skip the abuse.
Looking for tips on how to clean your board after use? Don’t miss our companion article:
How to Clean a Wooden Cutting Board.
Do you have plastic cutting boards? Find out Are Plastic Cutting Boards Safe?
Laurie Neverman has her bachelor’s degree in mathematics and a master’s in mechanical engineering. She paid part of her way through college working at the family catering business, Irene’s Custom Cakes & Catering. Now she and her family grow and preserve most of their food on their Wisconsin homestead.
Originally published in 2014, last updated in 2025.