Expert: Jamie Yocono - 9/9/2009

Question
I work in a professional kitchen and we just ordered a new maple topped work table.  What is the best way to clean it at the end of the day w/o using chemicals which would contaminate our food?

Answer
Natasha,

My family was in the restaurant business for many years, so I know all about wanting to keep the bacteria at bay. The best thing to do is wipe the wood down with a soapy water/bleach solution to kill anything. Of course, doing this will dry out the wood over time. Which is a bad thing. But bleach is your friend in a commercial kitchen.

The current thought from woodworking experts is that almost every type of finish is food safe, as long as it's been cured. Thirty days seems to be a rule of thumb, but in warmer climates, finishes will cure faster. If you can smell a finish on the wood, it's not cured yet. Yes, you'll have to put you nose down on the wood and take a whiff.

As far as what to use to revitalize the wood when it starts looking old and dried out, I generally recommend mineral oil. It never goes bad, and absorbs well into the wood. You have to be careful about using cooking oils, like olive oil or some of the nut oils, like walnut, peanut and so on. They can go rancid, and sour the board.

Me? I use a synthetic oil called Watco Danish Oil. It really makes the wood glow, and is easy to apply. Like I said, make sure your finish cures and anything you use on it will be safe.

Check out this video on preserving a cutting board:  http://www.chow.com/stories/11178  

I hope this helps, write back if you have more questions.

Jamie Yocono
Wood It Is! Custom Cabinetry
Las Vegas, NV
www.wooditis.com
My woodworking blog: www.wooditis.blogspot.com