Lingerlong Woodworking Products
All Lingerlong Woodworking products have a 100% guarantee.
We will either fix or replace any product that is defective or fails.
All you need to do is call us at (717) 529-7022 or email Tom Hartnett the owner at tom@lingerlongwoodworking.com
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Caring for your cutting board
Washing
Wash your cutting board with water (soap is fine too), including the underside and edges, removing anything that’s stuck to it with a lint-free rag. Most people only wash the top, and that actually ends up hurting the board. When moisture reacts with grain, it swells, and if the swelling isn’t uniform, it can warp the board. A rocking cutting board usually means that only one side was washed. Then let them air dry. Most of our boards have non-skid feet on the bottom. Just set them on the counter and let them dry. Our boards should never be put in the dishwasher. To remove stains on the board, sprinkle the stained area with kosher salt and gently rub with half a lemon. Re-oil the board when it starts to look and feel dry. If you disinfect the board with bleach or other product after cutting raw meat on it, you will need to re-oil the board.
Treating the board
All our boards are treated with food grade mineral oil. You may continued to use mineral oil, which can be found at supermarkets and pharmacies. We, however, recommend you use a product that contains mineral oil and a wax of some type such as beeswax or carbonara wax, such as Howard Butcher Block Conditioner which contains all three. Howards products can be found in most large supermarkets and big block store like Lowes. The goal is not to let the board completely dry out, the waxes help retain moisture in the boards. Organic oils like corn oil, olive oil, vegetable oil will turn rancid over time and will start to smell and will affect the taste of food.
Fixing a well used board
All cutting boards are eventually going to scar up from use. Using a sharp knife delays the process. If you catch the process early enough, use some 220 grit sand paper and just sand down the affected areas. Then completely wash the board, let it dry, and re-oil the board. Deep scars, split boards, or boards pockmarked from certain kitchen punches and cutters; can trap bacteria and make them hard to clean. If deep cut marks start to show up on the face of the wood, you can sand out deep ridges by taking 100 or 120 grit sand paper to the entire face of the board. Repeat the process with 220 or 240 grit. You have to sand evenly, which takes time, but it can give the board a whole new life. Make sure to start from the beginning of the cleaning process after sand and re-oiling.
If the board splits on the ends or starts to separate in the middle of the board; you can do one of two things. Buy a new board or find reputable woodworker (Like Lingerlong Woodworking) and have them repair the board. They will, most likely, rip the board down the splits, square it up and glue it back together; then refinish it for you. It will be slightly smaller, but will be ready for use.
If the board cups or warps, it mean that is isn’t being washed and dried properly. Make sure you always wash both sides of the board even if you only used one side. To dry it properly, if it is a board with feet on it (like most our Lingerlong Woodworking products) just setting them on the counter feet side down to dry after washing should not cause warping. If the board does not have feet on stand the board on a side or end until totally dry. The simplest way to fix warping, there are a lot of crazy ideas out there, is to turn the board over on the counter until the warp disappears. The allows the board to lose moisture on the other side to balance out the moisture again.
Check out EarlyWood’s Article on warping and cupping.
Another good site for butcher block/board care – Old Town Home
If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to call us at (717) 529-7022