How to clean a countertop or cutting board finished with Mineral oil and Beeswax
If you ordered your countertop to be finished with mineral oil it has been finished with a premium blend of Food Grade Mineral Oil and Food Safe Organic Waxes.
To maintain the finish we recommend applying the oil once every week for the first month you have your butcher block. After the first month, once every 3 to 4 weeks typically works well (more frequently in dry or hot climates). As you get used to maintaining your butcher block, you'll start to get a good feel for when it needs to be oiled and conditioned.
Procedure:
- Make sure your top is clean and dry before applying any amount of mineral oil or conditioner.
- Start by applying a small amount of the cutting board oil to the surface of your piece. Let it soak in as much as possible and repeat this step until it reaches its saturation point– as long as your piece is still accepting the oil there is no such thing as using too much butcher block oil.
- After it is no longer accepting any more oil, wipe off any excess oil.
- Once your piece is free of any residual oil you can apply the butcher block conditioner. A little bit of the conditioner goes a long way when applied properly. Rub into the wood grain with a soft, lint free cloth or soft paper towel to give your piece a polished look.
- After you have everything polished into the surface of your piece there should not be too much residual conditioner leftover, but if there is, make sure to wipe off any excess.
- Repeat these steps as they are necessary.
Keeping your countertop conditioned is crucial to the integrity of your piece. Wood will shrink or expand as the moisture content of the wood changes and the oil helps maintain a balanced level of moisture within the piece. Extreme dryness may cause cracks and glue joint separation, so be sure to keep your top oiled/waxed.