topic Re: CLEANING VINTAGE WOOD CUTTING BOARDS in Home

CLEANING VINTAGE WOOD CUTTING BOARDS

Oznell — Sat, 16 Dec 2023 23:37:29 GMT

I've used soap and water very sparingly on old wood dough bowls in the past, and got away without warping or cracking them.

As of today, I have one vintage cutting board picked up for almost nothing, during an antique shop sale, and am treating it gingerly too.

Read that white vinegar on a paper towel is a good cleaner of old, hard-working wood-- and it turns out, it is! I followed up on my cutting board by rubbing in food-grade mineral oil. Use that on my dough bowls too. ( Olive oil is frowned upon, as it can turn rancid in the wood. I did at least know that much.)

Although it is less now, there is still that ever so slightly, musty old wood "attic" smell. It just reminds me of some other antique pieces, antique drawers, etc. I actually like the scent, but hubby does not!

I wonder what else would banish it? Lemon juice? If anyone else has any suggestions, do tell!

I'll try cleaning it one more time, and then condition again with mineral oil.

The thing is, unlike my modern bread boards, I'm not going to use this one for food, anyway. It will be a base for things I'll stack on it, and for "pretty", maybe leaning against my backsplash... It is unusual, with hand carved grooves and a slightly uncommon shape.

I like the stuff that Cindy Hattersley does with her antique breadboards--

I think they look great as a base too, layered on each of her coffee tables...

"Snazzy Little Things" made a neat arrangement of her old boards up on the wall in a dining nook. The wood really stands out against the richly colored walls.

I tend to like them in very casual spots, almost like an afterthought, like Cindy had them.

Anyway, if anyone has any more ideas on banishing 'musty wood fragrance', do give a shout!

Re: CLEANING VINTAGE WOOD CUTTING BOARDS

cheriere — Sun, 17 Dec 2023 00:15:14 GMT

@Oznell Gee, this is a tough one. I know the wood smell you're talking about. I'd be afraid to put a lot of product on it. Have you considered letting it air out if you have a safe, dry place to put it during the daytime? In the past, I've used that wood cleaner with Orange Oil. It has a pleasant, but strong citrus smell.

Re: CLEANING VINTAGE WOOD CUTTING BOARDS

jackthebear — Sun, 17 Dec 2023 01:08:19 GMT

@Oznell wrote:
I've used soap and water very sparingly on old wood dough bowls in the past, and got away without warping or cracking them.

As of today, I have one vintage cutting board picked up for almost nothing, during an antique shop sale, and am treating it gingerly too.

Read that white vinegar on a paper towel is a good cleaner of old, hard-working wood-- and it turns out, it is! I followed up on my cutting board by rubbing in food-grade mineral oil. Use that on my dough bowls too. ( Olive oil is frowned upon, as it can turn rancid in the wood. I did at least know that much.)

Although it is less now, there is still that ever so slightly, musty old wood "attic" smell. It just reminds me of some other antique pieces, antique drawers, etc. I actually like the scent, but hubby does not!

I wonder what else would banish it? Lemon juice? If anyone else has any suggestions, do tell!

I'll try cleaning it one more time, and then condition again with mineral oil.

The thing is, unlike my modern bread boards, I'm not going to use this one for food, anyway. It will be a base for things I'll stack on it, and for "pretty", maybe leaning against my backsplash... It is unusual, with hand carved grooves and a slightly uncommon shape.

I like the stuff that Cindy Hattersley does with her antique breadboards--

I think they look great as a base too, layered on each of her coffee tables...

"Snazzy Little Things" made a neat arrangement of her old boards up on the wall in a dining nook. The wood really stands out against the richly colored walls.
I tend to like them in very casual spots, almost like an afterthought, like Cindy had them.

Anyway, if anyone has any more ideas on banishing 'musty wood fragrance', do give a shout!

youtube?

I might leave it out in the sun but not the right time of year

Re: CLEANING VINTAGE WOOD CUTTING BOARDS

cheriere — Sun, 17 Dec 2023 01:14:46 GMT

@jackthebear Yes! That's what I was trying to say. Ive always had luck letting things "SUN" outdoors for awhile. But like you said, for most of the country it's definitely the wrong time of the year.

Re: CLEANING VINTAGE WOOD CUTTING BOARDS

D Kay — Sun, 17 Dec 2023 01:34:07 GMT

How about baking soda ? Maybe rub it into the surface and let it sit overnight?

Re: CLEANING VINTAGE WOOD CUTTING BOARDS

GingerHead — Sun, 17 Dec 2023 01:39:49 GMT

@Oznell I love those!

I agree, that aged wood is so beautiful and I like how it's used in all those pictures. I really like it hung on the wall like art in that last picture.

I've never cleaned old musty wood, but I'd try another vinegar wash....maybe soak it in a little more with a soaked rag. Or maybe some baking soda sprinkled on heavily and left for a couple of days.

Murphy's oil soap? Maybe?

I also like the idea of sunning if you have sun. haha

Good luck.

Re: CLEANING VINTAGE WOOD CUTTING BOARDS

bmorechick — Sun, 17 Dec 2023 01:48:57 GMT

I have my great grandmother's handmade board that she brought with her from the "old country" (Poland). My grandmother used it as well. While I wouldn't use it for food, it was pretty grungy. I used salt, baking soda and made a paste, then scrubbed it with half a lemon. Wear gloves because it's irritating. It did look a bit better. I was tempted to sand it with sandpaper, but it would take away the history of the board for me. The staining indicates decades of them constantly being in the kitchen. So many Kluski noodles, pierogies, chrusciki, etc. began on that board 💕

So I have in in a cabinet and will pass along to my daughter who sadly doesn't have the ties to it that I do. My mom was first generation American, so I grew up with the language and the customs.

Re: CLEANING VINTAGE WOOD CUTTING BOARDS

simplyfriends — Sun, 17 Dec 2023 03:03:14 GMT

@Oznell I've heard activated charcoal will absorb the odor. Maybe put the wood piece in a bag with the activated charcoal from rca few days. I have some in a little burlap bag that hangs by my cats little box.

Re: CLEANING VINTAGE WOOD CUTTING BOARDS

gardenman — Sun, 17 Dec 2023 11:52:48 GMT

You could try sealing it with a polyurethane. That would form a protective shell around it and seal in any odors while also protecting the board. And, as a side benefit, cured poly is also food-safe according to the FDA, so you could use it for food also after it was sealed.

The challenge would be in preparing the surface since it's been recently oiled. Some mineral spirits might remove enough of the oil to give the poly a chance to grab on and cure.

Poly comes in all kinds of shine levels from a matte to a high gloss, so you could choose whichever option suited you the best. A good matte poly can be protective and largely unnoticeable while sealing in the odors and protecting the object.

If the appearance didn't matter and you just wanted to get rid of the smell, you could put the wood in a low oven (emphasis on low) and bake it for a bit. (Probably a long bit.) The thing that gives wood its smell is a compound called terpenes. They're more or less an essential oil and could be baked off given enough time and the right oven temp. The problem is when you heat wood you dry it out, and wood cracks/checks when overly dried. Wherever you baked the wood would have to be away from those sensitive to the smell though as you'd be releasing a lot of it as the wood baked. When the last of the terpene was gone though the wood would be odorless. It might also be badly checked, cracked, and a mess, but it wouldn't smell.

Re: CLEANING VINTAGE WOOD CUTTING BOARDS

Oznell — Sun, 17 Dec 2023 13:14:49 GMT

@cheriere , @jackthebear , @D Kay @GingerHead , @bmorechick , @simplyfriends , @gardenman

Thank you so much for taking the time to offer that extensive range of ideas, many of them ingenious. This is what is so useful and helpful about the forum. I'm going to mull them, and proceed from most conservative treatment on.... like doctors do, ha.

@GingerHead , I think both you and I are "wood heads" in that we are drawn to, and love the inherent qualities of natural wood. Actually, a lot of people are-- rich, aging wood especially, seems to connect us all to nature in such a fundamental way...

@bmorechick , I am in awe of your infinitely precious, heirloom board! Thanks for sharing that wonderful story of your family. How fabulous. I too love the marks of age-- the old splashes, gouging, the wearing away of edges-- all a testament to loving use.

Re: CLEANING VINTAGE WOOD CUTTING BOARDS

ciao_bella — Sun, 17 Dec 2023 14:18:27 GMT

@Oznell I will ask my son about the problem with your vintage cutting board odor. He might be able to help.

My late husband, who was a master woodcrafter, taught my son quite a bit about woodworking. My son is a chemist, but one of his hobbies is crafting handmade cutting boards. Here are two picture of cutting boards he crafted from Rock Maple (light wood) and Purpleheart (dark wood sourced from So. America.)

Re: CLEANING VINTAGE WOOD CUTTING BOARDS

Oznell — Sun, 17 Dec 2023 13:23:30 GMT

Thank you, @ciao_bella ! Wow, what wonderful work your son does. That is just beautiful, and so visually interesting. I had never heard of purple heart wood, how exotic. I love those deep tones contrasting with the light...

Re: CLEANING VINTAGE WOOD CUTTING BOARDS

River Song — Sun, 17 Dec 2023 15:37:35 GMT

Organic cutting board soap is available on Amazon in a variety of fragrances. I'm baffled why you don't want to use gentle soap and water on the cutting board. It's not going to damage the wood like heating it or scrubbing it with alkaline/acidic products will.

Re: CLEANING VINTAGE WOOD CUTTING BOARDS

ciao_bella — Sun, 17 Dec 2023 17:55:10 GMT

@Oznell I just spoke with my son and showed him the pictures of the vintage cutting board. Unfortunately, he said he doesn't know much about vintage pieces and wouldn't be able to give you adequate advice on how to remove the odor. Sorry I couldn't be of more help.

Re: CLEANING VINTAGE WOOD CUTTING BOARDS

kindred cats — Sun, 17 Dec 2023 18:56:22 GMT

Personally, I would never put poly anything over those vintage cutting boards. To me, it would ruin them.

Do you like coffee? I would buy a big can of cheap ground coffee and cover the cutting board in it sealed up for a few days. See if that natural process works for freshening the wood up. Maybe add some baking soda to the mix as well.

@Oznell ... I'm totally guessing about this, but it may be worth a try.

I'm basing this on getting rid of bad odors in a refrigerator. It works.

Re: CLEANING VINTAGE WOOD CUTTING BOARDS

GingerHead — Sun, 17 Dec 2023 19:05:26 GMT

@gardenman @Oznell

Good idea about sealing with Poly....I thought about that after posting.

I've used alot of matte polycrylic (water based) and it really doesn't look like you've done anything to the wood (no sheen added at all). I prefer using that because it's easier to clean (soap and water) and less smelly but the oil based polyurethane like you mentioned would probably offer better sealing to seal in the smell. I think?

Anyway, @Oznell ,I'm glad you're fighting the good fight and trying to retain that aged beauty!

Good luck and let us know how it goes.

Re: CLEANING VINTAGE WOOD CUTTING BOARDS

Mom2Dogs — Sun, 17 Dec 2023 23:32:36 GMT

@Oznell I love the photos and also love old boards, I have several as well as the old large board my mom always used for rolling out dough. They are a great decoration addition and I also have one that has 4 ball feet - for raised decor....just love them.

I wish the space between my counter top and the bottom of my cupboards was taller, I would like to hang my boards sometimes but there is not enough room.

Years ago at an art fair there was a father son team that made wood items and they sold a wax to clean their pieces with...suppposed food safe. When my broken shoulder is not as painful and I can use that arm I will dig out the container and see what the ingredients are.

Enjoy your cutting boards,

Re: CLEANING VINTAGE WOOD CUTTING BOARDS

Oznell — Mon, 18 Dec 2023 02:31:38 GMT

@River Song , old wood, as opposed to newer wood, sometimes presents more of a challenge. Things like lemon, and white vinegar, are recommended for cleaning and deodorizing.

@ciao_bella , that was lovely of you to try to find out-- many thanks!

@kindred cats , agree, I personally would not put any kind of lacquer over a cutting board. The beauty of these things is their aging, and the qualities of the wood mellowing. Your nicely organic coffee idea intrigues me-- I'll consider it! As a coffee nut, I like it. Few fragrances are as welcome as brewing java...

@GingerHead , and @Mom2Dogs , thank you for your moral support in my wood-treating quest!

@Mom2Dogs , I'm sorry to hear about your shoulder-- hoping it will be on the mend, pronto.

Re: CLEANING VINTAGE WOOD CUTTING BOARDS

ciao_bella — Mon, 18 Dec 2023 12:14:34 GMT

@Oznell I just thought of something you might try. On the newly made cutting boards, my son uses either mineral oil or food grade beeswax with lemon. He generally makes his own mix of beeswax with lemon oil, but there are several beeswax with lemon oil pastes that can be purchased specifically for wood cutting boards. Amazon has several brands with excellent reviews. Here are a few you might check out. They not only give the wood the needed moisture it needs to protect the wood, but it also contains lemon and/or orange oil.

Re: CLEANING VINTAGE WOOD CUTTING BOARDS

Mom2Dogs — Mon, 18 Dec 2023 20:36:32 GMT

@ciao_bella Beautiful, what an art!