Whether you purchased a wooden cutting board for aesthetic purposes, received one as a wedding gift, or are simply nostalgic and use your grandma’s hand-me down (older truly is better) the chance is your wooden cutting board may be looking a little dingy. Wood naturally fades with time and use. If you are thinking of giving up on your wooden cutting board or getting a plastic one, don’t admit defeat so easily. Your wooden cutting board can easily be revived to its original luster. The solution to your dingy-looking cutting board is likely already sitting in your kitchen or bathroom cabinet. Grab that large jar of coconut oil (or better yet the individual packs from Trader Joe’s) out of your pantry or bathroom cabinet to quickly season and revive your wood cutting board to its original luster. If this use for coconut oil sounds a little weird to you, think about what coconut oil is typically used for. Coconut oil emerged as the new miracle oil a few years ago due to its versatility as a conditioner for hair and skin, a make-up remover, as well as a cooking substitute for butter or olive oil. With a wood cutting board the cleaning we are going for is similar to conditioning a piece of wood furniture with polish. When you consider this, using coconut oil as a wooden cutting board cleaner makes perfect sense.
“Coconut oil emerged as the new miracle oil…”
To clean your wooden cutting board with coconut oil, you will first want to measure out 1 teaspoon of the silky, smooth, miracle coconut oil. Simply lather this amount into the board using your hands, fingers, or a towel. Next, let the oil set and seep into the wood overnight to do its magic. In the morning, you can easily remove any excess oil that did not soak into the wood grain with a towel and it is ready to use. You may be tempted to wash or rinse the board after conditioning it, but no rinsing is needed. Coconut oil has become a common cooking ingredient substituted for butter or vegetable oil in baking, so since we use coconut oil directly in a recipe it is definitely a safe substance you can confidently lather onto your wooden cutting board.
Check out the Coconut Oil available on Amazon for use with your cutting board. Note I get a small cut of the sale if you buy with this link. Alternatively you could grab these from your local Costco or supermarket.
Still skeptical about using coconut oil to clean your wooden cutting board? Let’s consider some of the other cleaning options you have for cleaning your wooden cutting board. You could use mineral oil to clean your wood cutting board. Mineral oil is a liquid by-product that results from refining crude oil. I would not want a crude oil by-product anywhere near a food prep surface like a cutting board. Mineral oil has also been known to contain toxins, especially at the technical grade level, that may cause cancer. To find mineral oil, make a trip to the paint aisle at your local Home Depot it should be near the pain solvents. I am not sure about you, but I would much rather use coconut oil that’s found in the baking aisle at my local grocery store. I also do not have a jar of mineral oil sitting around anywhere in my house, and am unsure of anything else you would use mineral oil for. Mineral oil would be an additional cleaning product I would have to go out and purchase and add to my already full cleaning product cabinet.
You may be wondering why you can’t use any other organic oils that you have in your pantry. After all aren’t all organic oils alike? Other organic oils, like olive oil, actually have fats that can spoil and leave your wooden cutting board with an odor. Finally, we must consider the simple soap and water method. Soap and water is good enough for practically every other piece of dishware in our kitchen. Why should a cutting board be any different? Well friends, it is different because it is not glass or ceramic! It is wood, so it requires a little extra care. Soaking a wood cutting board in water is like going boating in an unsealed boat. Soaking wood in water expands the wood fibers and causes the board to crack (or boat to crack and sink). Not good. Same thing with placing your wooden cutting board in the dishwasher with every other plate and utensil. Don’t do it.
The next natural question about using coconut oil to clean a cutting board would be whether the coconut oil sanitizes your cutting board. After all, let’s be honest we all know that cutting boards need to be properly sanitized, especially after cutting an array of foods or smelly ingredients such as garlic on the same board. Even though coconut oil is known as the miracle oil, it does not have antibacterial qualities. Adding a simple step prior to your coconut oil lather will set your mind (and possibly nose) at ease. To sanitize your cutting board, get rid of odors, and eliminate lingering bacteria simply sprinkle a generous amount of table salt over the surface of the board to cover it. After the board is salted, take half a lemon and use this to massage the salt into the board. You will want to squeeze the lemon while using it as a scrubber. This will help clean the board, while eliminating any lingering odors. Let your sanitized, lemony-fresh, wooden cutting board sit for a couple of minutes and then rinse the cutting board thoroughly with water. After letting the board air dry, polish it with coconut oil as explained earlier. Now your board is not only moisturized from the coconut oil, but you can rest easy knowing it is bacteria and odor-free. This cleaning method is great, because again it only includes ingredients you likely already have in your kitchen cabinet and are already used in cooking.
Clearly, coconut oil is perfect choice for cleaning your wooden cutting board in need of a little tender loving care. At just around $12.00 for a medium sized jar, coconut oil is an economical choice and can be used for several other things after you use it to revive your cutting board. So add this already trusted miracle oil to your cutting board cleaning arsenal and you will be chopping up carrots confidently on your wooden cutting board for your next stir-fry in no time.
Overwhelmed by all the coconut oil options on the market? Well, you are in luck because we tried over 50 coconut oil brands and compiled a list of our favorites to help you with your cutting board problems!
Keep on reading to find the top best coconut oils for cutting boards
It is well-made, 100% natural, and organic coconut oil that not only preserves but also offers a great finish to your wooden cutting board. This conditioning plant-based oil has low-viscosity and is safe to use on all wooden kitchen stuff. Thanks to its deep penetrating ability; the CLARK’S coconut oil protects your cutting board by filling the pores of the wood to form a barrier that holds in the natural wood moisture that keeps cracking and water absorption at bay.
Made in the USA, this is 100% plant-based oil that is free from preservatives or additives. Approved from the US FDA, it is the safest woodblock oil on the market. It comes in a 12 FL OZ transparent plastic bottle with a black easy-pour cap on top.
The safe organic oil works well to protect and preserve your wood. The oil absorbs deeply into the wood to preserve and nourish it to avoid cracks or splitting. Moreover, the coconut oil used has no contact with gluten, tree nuts, or any other allergens. This allows you to use on any wooden surface or item that comes in contact with vegetables, herbs, and other foods.
What most people look for in cutting board oil is a thick coat that really brings out the beauty of the wood. The CLARK’S oil doesn’t only safeguard the board, it also makes it look beautiful by bringing the natural grain of the wood.
Although it’s easy to use, always make sure that your wood is clean and thoroughly washed to prevent germ build-up. For this purpose, the CLARK’S cutting board oil marks the 2nd step of its 3-step cutting board care solution that begins with CLARK’s all-natural coconut soap and ends with a wax finish.
Unlike mineral oils with discernible odor, CLARK’S oil is unscented but sometimes gives a very mild coconut smell. Another great thing about CLARK’S oil is that it has a reasonable price under $15.
My 12 FL OZ bottle lasted a good amount of time (4-5 months) with regular oiling for 2-3 weeks. I didn’t notice any splitting or drying. I apply a generous amount of oil to my wood board directly and use a paper towel to spread the oil until it evenly covers both the board sides. Leave it about 24 hours so that it fully absorbs the oil. Although I get great results with only one coat application, you can apply additional oil coats if needed. However, a more durable and water-resistant seal is achieved by applying the wax finish to seal the oil into the wood.
• Non-greasy and no bad odor
• Penetrates deeply
• Prevents wrapping and cracking
• Anti-microbial
You don’t want to repurchase wood cutting boards since they are expensive nowadays so maintaining them is important. Preserve the one you have for years to come. If you want to restore your cutting board’s beauty by bringing the natural rich color back while protecting it, the CLARK’S cutting board oil will be great for you. However, it’s better to go for the full 3-step care solution instead of just buying step 2 alone i.e. CLARK’S cutting board oil. The whole 3-part (soap, oil, and wax) are designed to be used on cutting boards or other kitchen wood items and will never go rancid.
Kirkland Signature Coconut Oil is an all-organic virgin coconut oil. It is cold-pressed oil and doesn’t contain any additional chemicals as it never goes under chemical treatment during production.
Kirkland signature coconut oil processes with low and gentle heat, ensuring that it preserves all its properties and health benefits. This coconut oil is an all-around great investment as you can also use it in food preparation apart from moisturizing for a cutting board.
So if you are looking for multipurpose coconut oil for all your kitchen needs, bring home Kirkland’s Signature Coconut oil.
Looking for versatile coconut oil to use for your cutting board? Then Nutiva Organic Virgin Coconut Oil is the best option for you. Nutiva is a cold-pressed, organic, and unrefined coconut oil. It has no GMOs and is rich in MCTs & Lauric acid.
This formulates from fresh farm coconuts and doesn’t contain any harmful chemicals, making it safe to use for cutting boards. Nutiva Coconut oil will keep your cutting board sanitized, clean, and free of any odors.
Viva Naturals manufactures its Extra-Virgin Organic Coconut oil made from all-natural ingredients. It is formulated by using organic coconuts, which are cold-pressed right out of a farm.
Viva Naturals Organic Extra Virgin Coconut oil is an excellent oil for maintaining and conditioning your cutting board. It’s 100% organic nature ensures that it will keep your cutting board and food safe from bacteria and odors.
Using Viva Organic Coconut oil will keep your cutting board in good condition for a long time and prevent any rancid.
If you prefer an all-natural conditioner for your cutting board, Vita Coco Organic Virgin Coconut oil is the one for you. This oil from Vita coco is all-natural and releases zero unwanted fumes and odors.
Vita Coco is fantastic to use as a polisher for stainless steel, tabletops, leather surfaces, and wooden surfaces. Vita Coco Coconut oil’s versatile nature makes it perfect to use for every type of cutting board.
It keeps your cutting board conditioned without leaving any chemical scent or residue. Moreover, it has antibacterial properties, so it keeps your cutting board sanitized and eliminates any chance of bacteria infecting your food.
This product from 365 Everyday Value is amazing for cleaning and maintaining your cutting board while still keeping it safe and bacteria-free. 365 Everyday Value coconut oil is expeller-pressed.
This coconut oil is vegan, organic, and kosher, which makes it a perfect fit for everyone. It has a lot of antiseptic properties and doesn’t contain any sodium. It is fantastic for cooking many things like stir-fry, curry, etc.
You don’t have to worry about your cutting board’s quality when you use coconut oil from Now Foods. It is an entirely pure food-grade coconut oil.
The coconut oil from Now foods is USP certified and approved by NSF. It is famous for its use as cutting board oil, soapstone oil, laxative, lubricator, wood tinge, bamboo oil, and butcher block oil.
It is easy to pour because of its innovative packing and works amazingly to reduce your cutting board’s friction.
If you are looking for an oil that applies swiftly, then Trader Joe’s Organic Virgin Oil is an amazing option. You can apply it directly to your cutting board as it comes in packets. Also, you can conveniently use it for wooden bowls, butcher blocks, and utensils.
Trader Joe’s Coconut oil is 100% organic, cold-pressed, unrefined oil. It is multipurpose coconut oil and you can use it as a makeup remover, skin moisture, hair oil, and even as a shaving oil.
