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[Oznell]

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!

[cheriere]

@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.

[jackthebear]

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@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 

[cheriere]

@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.

[D Kay]

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

[GingerHead]

@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.

[bmorechick]

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.  

[simplyfriends]

@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. 

[gardenman]

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. 

[Oznell]

@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.