IMPORTANT! If you don’t read and follow these care instructions, you will likely void your warranty.If you do follow these instructions, you will be passing your purchase on to subsequent generations.
Please note that these instructions are are for cutting boards, serving boards, wooden spoons and the like. These items are finished with food-grade mineral oil and waxes like beeswax and carnauba, a plant based wax.
Other items on our website that have varnish finishes like water-based polyurethane just need to be wiped down with a damp cloth as those items do not come into contact with food.
Our craftspeople have labored to produce first quality wooden culinary products that should last you a lifetime.We have protected them with pure food grade mineral oil followed by a food-grade mineral oil and wax conditioner.
- Treat them with care and store them properly.
- Keep them clean. Wipe them down when you are finished using them or give them a very quick rinse (see below) and then dry. If there is food stuck to the surface scrape the food off with a bench/dough scraper. After scraping, wipe your wood product down with a clean dish cloth that has been rinsed under hot water and rung out well. The last step is to dry it with a paper towel.
- When needed, and when dry, apply a blend of food grade mineral oil and natural wax to the entire surface. Allow to dry for twenty minutes and then buff with a clean rag or paper towel. We recommend using Howard Butcher Block Conditioner which contains food grade mineral oil, beeswax and carnauba wax. We provide a sample bottle with your order and you can purchase more from our website or at your nearest Lowe’s or Home Depot store.
Your wooden kitchen products have three principal enemies—water, heat and neglect.
WATER
Water is the reason most wooden kitchen products are damaged. Wooden kitchen products will absorb water, expand and then contract as they dry leading to warping, bowing, twisting and more.All no bueno!
Minimize your products contact with water.This doesn’t mean that no water can come in contact with say for example, your cutting board.Of course, you’re going to routinely cut or chop freshly washed fruits and vegetables.This small amount of water or juices likely will not present a problem provided that your board is protected with a food safe mineral oil and wax blend.However please never do the following;
- Don’t let water and juices remain on the wood for more than a few minutes after you are done using it. Here’s where keeping a roll of paper towels nearby is a good idea.
- Don’t clean your wooden kitchen products under running water—there are better ways to clean them. If you feel that you absolutely must do so, then you must make sure that your care regimen is in place--the wax in the finish will both keep food from sticking and repel the water. Do it very quickly and then immediately wipe down and dry the product. Once wiped down, place it on a surface where it can dry evenly. A baker’s cooling rack or my favorite, the grates over your stove top burners, will do the job.
- Never put wooden kitchen products in the dishwasher. This one is not negotiable and yes, people do it. If you do this, we cannot be friends.
HEAT
Hot foods are not a problem, but you don’t want to set your wooden kitchen products next to a stove top burner or too close to your barbeque.Wood moves with moisture and with heat.
NEGLECT
Just like everything else you own, maintenance is the key to optimum performance and long life—and it saves you money.Taking care of your wooden kitchen products couldn’t be easier.Caring for your Culinary Woods products is easy.Just follow the guidelines above. When your board or tools are new, apply a thin coat of Howard Butcher Block Conditioner once a week for a month, then once a month for a year and as needed thereafter. It only takes a few minutes. You have a smart phone, set a reminder.
If you need additional assistance, contact us at info@culinarywoods.com.Go ahead, make the effort.We’ll be here for you.
