Why wood cutting boards are the best choice and how to clean and maintain them
Thanks for coming back for another Sunday Favorites post with my friends Cindy & Mary Ann! I hope you are enjoying a beautiful Father’s Day weekend!
Why wood cutting boards are the best choice and how to clean and maintain them is a topic that keeps coming up lately because it goes along with non-toxic cleaning. I read in The Cook’s Atelier cookbook about how they only use wood (wood is easier on knives) and they clean them with vinegar. This made me do a little digging on using anything other than wood and this article stopped me in my tracks. It’s a complete guide to choosing non-toxic cutting boards and the ones to avoid. Let’s just say it’s safe to say I’ve tossed every cutting board that’s not wood. I kind of knew they might be bad, but formaldehyde is the one cutting boards?!
So then how to we clean a wood cutting board?
I was in the camp that believes wood could not be used for cutting raw meat. In the above mentioned article points out that “When you cut raw meat on wood cutting boards, the grain pulls fluid down and traps bacteria under the cutting surface. Then, it later dies – some studies show in as little as 3-10 minutes.”
I now keep a bottle of white vinegar with tea tree by my sink to pour over my Boos wood cutting board, rinse and then dry. I keep it right next to my bottle of Thieves dish soap and household cleaner. Everything I use is safe and even if there is a residue, it’s absolutely fine. I could never say that about the dish soap and countertop spray that I used to use!
How to Maintain Wood Cutting Boards
Wood cutting boards can be expensive, but if you take care of them properly, they will last a lifetime and wood is b better for your knives too. Depending on usage, you’ll want to treat your board with a product like John Boos Mystery Butcher Block Oil at least once a month. I also use mine on my wooden spoons.
Just Tweak It
I have followed these girls for quite a while now and I am amazed at the before and afters that they post on instagram. They “just tweak it” to make your home, a room, a corner, live up to its potential! Sometimes we just need a fresh set of eyes when it comes to our homes. These girls can walk into a room and in very little time know exactly what they can take away, or add to a room to look and function a lot better. Whitney and Cassidy have the most positive energy that they pour into each space they “tweak.” Even their business name is positive! It’s not saying, let’s get rid of everything and start fresh. They will work within your budget, use some of what you have, and make suggestions on how to improve your space so that when you walk into your home…you love it. They both live in Phoenix and do in-person consultations, but they will also work with you virtually. If you have a space that needs some “tweaking” I highly recommend reaching out to Whitney and Cassidy! You can email them [email protected] and follow them on instagram @justtweakit.az
Here’s an example of a primary bedroom makeover
Inspiration from travel from Kim of Northern California Style
Whenever we travel, my favorite things to bring back (aside from my sand collection and bottles) are things that I can use at home. Like pillow covers and table linens. My friend Kim of Northern California Style recently traveled to Hawaii and came home and created a lovely centerpiece using things like pieces of coral she has collected for the last 25 years, air plants, and some beads from Hawaii. I love how earthy it looks in a big wooden bowl on a piece of indigo. Kim has the best style for home and fashion, make sure to follow her on Instagram too!
Outdoor Rugs from Serena & Lily
I’m rolling up my indoor rug in the living room to lighten the feel of the room for summer and pulling out the outdoor rugs for the porch. My ivory rug has taken a beating this past year! In fact, everything has with everyone being home this past year. I love to use outdoor rugs indoors in high-traffic areas. Serena & Lily has some of the best and you would never even know they are outdoor rugs. I love the new gingham rugs and the Sea View Rug is also very popular and now comes in 5 colors! It was only available in two colors when I worked at the Westport store.
slip hairbands…where have you been all my life?
If you wear your hair pulled back in a ponytail, and you’re not wearing Slip hairbands, you are missing out! I got them for Madeline’s stocking last Christmas and bought a 3-pack for myself at the same time. What I love about them is that they don’t slip, barely leave a mark and you can wash them! Has everyone with long hair been using these all along and just not telling me??
Ok….ditching the plastic cutting boards. I guess they are recyclable. I just ordered the hair bands and will take them with me next weekend to L.A. to give to Alie, my sister and Laura (who I am staying with)…party favors. Thank you, Annie!
Annie, thank you so much for the cutting board tips! You are right, they are kinder to your knives. And I just followed Just Tweak It, always looking for fun new IG accounts. Of course everything from Serena & Lily is just dreamy. Fun post!
I ordered the butcher block oil. I hate those plastic cutting boards, so I am happy to have an excuse to toss them. Thanks for the tip on cleaning the wood boards as well. Love those Serena and Lily rugs. So many of the “outdoor” rugs aren’t very good-looking. So many helpful ideas here today!
I WILL SEND THIS POST OFF TO MY SON THE WOODWORKER!
GOOD TO KNOW!
That bedroom LOVEIT!!!!!!
Annie thank you so much for having me in here and your kind words! I feel bad I am late to comment .. This weekend got busy and I missed my Sunday posts I love from you all. I wanted to say I live all the Serena rugs and the outdoor ones are great! They wear so well for the kitchen, etc. Also I need those slip hair bands! Ordering some now. Thank you again for mentioning me.. xoxo Kim
I’m late to comment. I thought I had made peace with the Epicurean boards because I could sanitize in the dishwasher. Well, during Covid my “last forever” Miele died! I have been handwashing for over a year now. I had read Atelier and added vinegar to my cleaning. After your suggestion of diving deeper into the making of the Epicurean boards, I am returning to Boos land! I did read on a restaurant supply blog that they didn’t recommend vinegar alone for raw meat. I am using warm soapy water, rinse, spray with hydrogen peroxide let stand, and rinse and then a spray of vinegar, let stand then rinse. (Do not mix the two in the same bottle!). A final coating of Boos Oil/cream. Who has time to cook when I am the caretaker for my cutting boards!!! Wish I could use your dish soap but I am allergic to eucalyptus.
Oh, I wish you could use Thieves too! I’ve only heard of one other person allergic to eucalyptus. So I’m guessing you wouldn’t want your skin to come in contact with it??
I thought the same about the dishwasher for the longest time, but I am now back to all wood Boos boards too! I clean mine with Thieves and a rinse of vinegar. Have you tried Thieves!?