Wooden Chopping Board FAQs
Q: Are wooden chopping boards hygienic?
Wood has been used for thousands of years in food preparation and it is vital to keep it clean and undamaged. Think of those vintage butcher's blocks you see, worn and scarred by decades of use. They remain usable through a high degree of cleanliness. Your rustic chopping boards are exactly the same. All work surfaces contain bacteria, the trick is to minimise the chances of this remaining on your board. Regular cleaning and an occasional deep clean and sealing will benefit your board and extend its life.
Q: Can you put wooden chopping boards in the dishwasher?
Please regard your wooden bread board as hand wash only because it can be prone to scratches. Many wooden chopping boards are made of multiple pieces of wood and the heat and intensity of a dishwasher will cause the glues holding the sections of the board together to weaken and ultimately it will disintegrate. This is particularly true of any antique cutting board but if your chopping surface is of any vintage you must take care. If your old cutting board is a solid piece of wood it will be damaged by the dishwasher as steam is forced into it, and it will warp.
Q: Are wooden chopping boards safe?
If cared for correctly a wooden chopping board is safe and of no more hygiene challenges than a plastic one. However, do watch out for any splintering of the wood or taking chips out of the board during use.
Q: What is The Best Wood For Chopping Boards?
It is not always possible to tell from an older board what it was made from. That said, if there is a choice you should keep an eye out for Maple, Beech, Teak or Walnut, all of which are closed grain hardwoods.
