Caring for Olive Wood & Oak

Olive wood and oak only look better with use. Marks, scratches, the soft patina of years — these are features, not faults. Here is how to keep wood looking beautiful for decades.

Washing

• Hand wash only. Never put olive wood, oak, or any solid wood board in the dishwasher.
• Wash with warm soapy water, immediately after use. Don't leave soaking.
• Dry straight away with a tea towel — never leave wet wood to air dry, it warps.
• Stand on edge to fully dry, never flat.

Oiling

Oil monthly with food-safe mineral oil (also called "butcher block oil") or, even better, a beeswax-and-mineral-oil balm.

• Apply a small amount with a clean cloth.
• Rub in along the grain.
• Leave for 30 minutes, then wipe off excess.

You'll know when a board needs oiling — it goes slightly pale and feels rougher under the fingertips. Right after oiling, the grain looks vivid and the surface feels silky.

The marks of use

Knife marks, faint stains from beetroot or turmeric, the patina of years of bread crusts — these are what make a wooden board beautiful. Don't try to sand them out. The natural variation is the point.

If a board cracks

Small surface cracks happen with age and dry conditions (especially central heating). Most close back up with regular oiling. Deep cracks that go all the way through mean the board is at end of life — retire to a cheese board, never use for raw meat.

Naturally antibacterial: wood, particularly oak and olive, has natural antimicrobial properties. Bacteria on a wooden board die off significantly faster than on plastic.