How do you clean a Wooden Worktop ?

nodwah

Hi everyone, we're just having our new kitchen fitted and my OH insisted on having a butchers block style worktop in birch (- I wasn't that keen but he's paying for it )

We have oil to put on it every few months but what do I clean it with day to day?

Anyone else got one?

Pink.

I have an unvarnished wooden table and I clean it with a diluted bleach solution before oiling it. I've seen it recommended on here to use coarse sea salt and lemon juice for scrubbing too.

These threads might give you some ideas:

wood cleaning, as seen on 'Kim and Aggie'?

Natural wood work surfaces protection

Pink

floss2

We have birch worktops - once they are oiled they are pretty resistant as long as you don't scratch them. We find a damp cloth is enough, with a weekly wipe over with dettox or stardrops solution (depends who does it, OH or me!).

Don't forget to ALWAYS use a chopping board, and oil them regularly. It takes a little while to dry, so we do half one evening, dry overnight & day then do the other half that evening.

NualaBuala

Hi,

I have those worktops too and agree that keeping them oiled helps protect from spills etc. They seem to soak the oil up more at first so you don't need to do it as much as time goes on.

I use a Tesco Value microfibre cloth. You get 3 for not much more than a euro over here and probably much cheaper in the UK. If there's grease I wring it out in warm soapy water or else I just use it damp and it does the job just fine.

I find it's not as easy to wipe down as a really smooth surface like formica but am well used to it now and love the look of it.

Nuala

nesssie1702

My grandmother used to clean her wooden boards and blocks with salt, as it helps kill off any bacteria.

I'm not sure that I'd use Stardrops on it, as you run the risk of tainting anything, if you're cutting directly on the surface.

Butchers clean their blocks by scraping with a wire brush and then using a scraping blade, don't think they tend to use cloths or any surface cleaners.

nodwah

thanks for all your advice, my Dh is oiling it right now!

We have a couple of large off-cuts that we'll use for chopping blocks and woe betide anyone who doesn't use them!!

homeaway

yep oil is the way to go. We have not done it enough and have ended up with a nasty black stain around the tap, but we have had them for ten years.

NualaBuala

homeaway wrote: »

yep oil is the way to go. We have not done it enough and have ended up with a nasty black stain around the tap, but we have had them for ten years.

I'm just wondering if sanding the black bit down and reoiling it would work? I did it on a chopping board and it was fine but obviously you wouldn't want to ruin a worktop!

Debt_Free_Chick

NualaBuala wrote: »

I'm just wondering if sanding the black bit down and reoiling it would work? I did it on a chopping board and it was fine but obviously you wouldn't want to ruin a worktop!

Yes, but use wire wool rather than sandpaper.

rocketdog_2

Hello,

I hope someone can help. I have had solid wood (oak) worktops fitted in my kitchen. They have been treated ( but don't have a shiney varnish) and I'm just wondering how do I clean them?

Do I wipe them down with soap and water or use a cleaner?

Thanks for your help in advance,

Rocketdog x

Butterfly_Brain

I would use a good anti bacterial cleaner but make sure that you don't overwet the surface because it will cause the wood to swell and split and that is bacteria heaven.
HTH