Wooden cutting boards are basically the workhorses of the kitchen. You chop on them, scrape them, and douse them in water, yet we somehow expect them to last forever without a hint of a crack. Honestly, most people just buy a board and forget about it until it starts looking like a piece of driftwood. That's usually when they realize they should have been using Howard's cutting board oil all along.
Wood is porous. It breathes. If you don't give it some moisture, it’s going to steal it from the air or, worse, soak up the juices from that raw chicken you just sliced. That is how you get warped boards and bacteria traps.
It's not just about looks.
While a shiny board looks great for your Instagram food photos, the real reason to saturate your wood with food-grade mineral oil is for structural integrity. Howard's Cutting Board Oil is a staple for a reason. It’s simple. It’s effective. And it doesn’t go rancid like the olive oil your grandmother might have told you to use.
The Science of Sealing with Howard's Cutting Board Oil
Think of wood like a bunch of tiny straws bundled together. These "straws" are the vascular system of the tree. Even after the tree is long gone and turned into a butcher block, those straws are still there, ready to suck up whatever liquid hits the surface. Howard's Cutting Board Oil is a deep-penetrating USP grade mineral oil. Because it’s "food grade," it meets the strict standards of the FDA for direct and indirect food contact.
Why mineral oil? Why not something "natural" like vegetable oil?
Vegetable oils, including olive and canola, are organic fats. When they sit inside the fibers of a cutting board and are exposed to oxygen, they undergo a chemical process called oxidation. They go rancid. It smells bad, tastes worse, and can actually harbor bacteria. Mineral oil is an inorganic lubricant. It won't oxidize. It stays stable forever, sitting in those wood pores and acting as a physical barrier against water and food particles.
Breaking Down the Ingredients
You might look at the bottle and think there’s some secret sauce inside. There isn't. Howard's keeps it incredibly straightforward. It is pure, tasteless, odorless, and colorless food-grade mineral oil, often enriched with vitamin E to help stabilize the oil and prevent any breakdown over time.
📖 Related: The Betta Fish in Vase with Plant Setup: Why Your Fish Is Probably Miserable
That's it.
The simplicity is actually the selling point. You don't want perfumes or weird additives near your expensive ribeye. When you apply it, the oil travels deep into the wood grain. It doesn't just sit on top. It fills the voids.
How to Actually Apply It (The Flood Method)
Most people are too stingy with their oil. They put a tiny drop on a paper towel and rub it around until the board looks slightly damp. That's not enough. To really get the benefits of Howard's cutting board oil, you need to use what woodworkers often call the "flood method."
- Start with a bone-dry board. If there’s any water trapped in the fibers, the oil can't get in.
- Pour a generous amount of oil directly onto the wood. It should look like a lake.
- Use a lint-free cloth or your bare hands—it’s skin-safe—to spread it around.
- Don't forget the edges and the bottom. People always forget the bottom. If one side stays dry and the other is oiled, the board will expand unevenly and warp.
- Let it sit. Walk away. Give it at least 20 minutes, though overnight is better.
- Wipe off the excess.
If the wood drank it all up and looks dry in patches, do it again. New boards or neglected ones might need three or four "coats" before they stop thirsty-slurping the oil. You'll know you’re done when the oil stays on the surface rather than disappearing.
Addressing the "Mineral Oil vs. Wax" Debate
You’ll see people arguing online about whether oil is enough or if you need a wax finish. It’s not an either-or situation. Howard also makes a "Butcher Block Conditioner" which is a mix of mineral oil, beeswax, and carnauba wax.
Think of the oil as the moisturizer and the wax as the raincoat.
The oil goes deep to keep the fibers supple. The wax sits on the surface to provide a harder, more water-resistant shell. If you only use oil, you’ll have to reapply more often because it washes away faster with soap and water. If you only use wax, the inside of the wood can still dry out and crack because the wax is too thick to penetrate deeply.
👉 See also: Why the Siege of Vienna 1683 Still Echoes in European History Today
For the best results? Use the pure Howard's cutting board oil first. Once the wood is saturated, "lock it in" with a wax-based conditioner. It creates a beautiful, satiny sheen that makes water bead up like it's on a freshly waxed car.
Common Misconceptions and Safety Realities
There's a lot of misinformation out there about wood safety. You might have heard that plastic boards are more "sanitary" than wood. That’s actually a myth debunked by Dr. Dean Cliver at the University of California, Davis. His research showed that wood—especially when properly maintained with oil—is naturally antimicrobial. The wood fibers actually pull bacteria down into the grain where they die off because they can't survive without moisture.
But this only works if the wood isn't full of deep, jagged gouges.
Using Howard's cutting board oil helps keep the surface smooth. When the fibers are hydrated, they "self-heal" to an extent. If the wood is brittle and dry, a knife will chip away at the fibers, creating deep trenches where old bits of food can hide.
Is it really safe to eat?
Yes. USP (United States Pharmacopeia) mineral oil is actually sold in pharmacies as a laxative. It is completely inert. It passes through the human body without being absorbed or digested. While I wouldn't recommend taking a swig of it for fun, the microscopic amount that might transfer to your food from a treated board is totally harmless.
The Cost of Neglect
Wait too long to oil your board and you’ll start seeing the signs. The wood gets a "fuzzy" texture. That’s the wood fibers raising up because they are parched. Then come the cracks. Once a butcher block cracks all the way through, it’s basically garbage. You can’t sanitize a crack.
A bottle of Howard's is maybe ten or fifteen bucks. A high-end end-grain walnut cutting board can easily run you $200. It’s cheap insurance.
✨ Don't miss: Why the Blue Jordan 13 Retro Still Dominates the Streets
When to Reach for the Bottle
How often should you do this? "Once a month" is the standard advice, but it’s kinda arbitrary. It depends on how often you cook. If you’re a weekend warrior who mostly eats takeout, once every three months might be fine. If you’re meal prepping every day and washing the board with soap constantly, you might need it every two weeks.
Look for these signs:
- The wood looks "thirsty" or pale.
- Water doesn't bead up anymore; it soaks in.
- The board feels rough to the touch.
- It makes a "hollow" sound when you tap it.
Beyond the Cutting Board: Other Uses
One of the cool things about having a bottle of Howard's cutting board oil in the cabinet is that it's versatile. You can use it on wooden salad bowls, wooden spoons, and even knife handles. If you have a carbon steel knife that rusts easily, a thin wipe of this oil after cleaning will prevent oxidation.
I’ve even seen people use it to revive old, dry wooden tool handles in the garage. It’s a multi-purpose surface protectant that just happens to be food-safe.
Actionable Steps for Long-Lasting Wood
Don't wait for your board to look like an antique relic before you act.
First, go give your board a good scrub with a tiny bit of dish soap and very hot water. Dry it immediately with a towel. Don't let it air dry while soaking wet, and for the love of everything, never put it in the dishwasher. The heat and prolonged water exposure will destroy the glue bonds and warp the wood instantly.
Once it's dry to the touch, apply a heavy coat of Howard's cutting board oil. Let it sit overnight. In the morning, wipe off what’s left and feel the difference. It should feel heavy, smooth, and substantial. If you want that extra layer of protection, follow up with a beeswax-based conditioner to seal the deal.
Maintaining your kitchen tools isn't just a chore; it’s a way to ensure the things you use every day actually last a lifetime. A well-oiled board is a joy to cut on. Your knives will stay sharper longer because they aren't hitting brittle, rock-hard wood fibers. It’s a small investment of time that pays off every single time you prep a meal.