How do you care for your Bamboo chopping boards?

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Finch

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#160154 26-Dec-2014 12:04

Hi guys.

Looking to buy a new chopping board or two, looks like its going to be a bamboo one.

I currently have the plastic colour coded ones, but they are 3+ years old now and starting to look dirty, plus they are small and thin.

Im worried about cleaning the Bamboo boards though. I don't have a dishwasher, wash all dishes by hand. Quick research looks like I shouldn't do that and instead use oils?

Thanks for the help!

Flickky

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#1204000 26-Dec-2014 12:26

If you want it to last then drizzle oil over it and leave it to soak in but only for the first few days. After you've done it a few times (once a day/every couple of days) then it'll be sweet.

However never put it in the dishwasher - hand wash it and drip dry it or hand dry it.

If you're using it for meats you'll probably want to soak it in water and a bit of vinegar once every couple of weeks depending on how often you use it. I try and have one dedicated meat board and the rest for vegetables/others.

Finch

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#1204007 26-Dec-2014 12:34

Flickky: If you want it to last then drizzle oil over it and leave it to soak in but only for the first few days. After you've done it a few times (once a day/every couple of days) then it'll be sweet.

However never put it in the dishwasher - hand wash it and drip dry it or hand dry it.

If you're using it for meats you'll probably want to soak it in water and a bit of vinegar once every couple of weeks depending on how often you use it. I try and have one dedicated meat board and the rest for vegetables/others.

Thanks for the reply.

What kind of oil do you recommend? Mineral?

So hand washing with hot water + dish washing liquid is fine?

Yeah I wouldn't use it for meats and if I did I would buy a separate board all together, like you I don't like to cut meats + vegetables on the same board.

Flickky

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#1204012 26-Dec-2014 12:40

Yeah mineral oil is good for the first week - after that you can use a mix of mineral and linseed or just mineral if it's better. Some people go all out and melt wax in to mineral oil but I really think it's a bit too much just for a cutting board... too hard basket.

Related: Pretty sure Briscoes would have a great sale on at the moment if you wanted to pick up a couple today :)

Finch

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#1204015 26-Dec-2014 13:00

Flickky: Yeah mineral oil is good for the first week - after that you can use a mix of mineral and linseed or just mineral if it's better. Some people go all out and melt wax in to mineral oil but I really think it's a bit too much just for a cutting board... too hard basket.

Related: Pretty sure Briscoes would have a great sale on at the moment if you wanted to pick up a couple today :)

Thanks. Yeah was looking at Briscoes and all but 2/3 were Bamboo.

Thank mate.

Batman

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#1204016 26-Dec-2014 13:06

it's a chopping board! smash it with my sharpest knives ;p

my wife on the other hand hates it - says a haven for germs. which I can understand. so she uses a glass chopper and I use a smooth plastic thing

gbwelly

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#1204091 26-Dec-2014 16:24

Glass and bamboo chopping boards are the natural enemy of knives. Buy a knife sharpener with your new chopping board, you're going to need it.

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gbwelly

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#1204094 26-Dec-2014 16:27

Oh yeah, hygiene. A rub of salt and lemon juice once in a while is good, but the best is outside in direct sunlight for the afternoon.

Batman

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#1204110 26-Dec-2014 16:58

the circulon thing from stevens is the best. sharpens anything you throw at it

Geektastic

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#1204294 26-Dec-2014 23:05

We've got one - a cheap Wiltshire branded one. Had it 3 or 4 years at least.

We do not care for it at all. We wash it - in the DW if need be. Still looks fine and works fine.

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#1204297 26-Dec-2014 23:10

i buy cheap stuff when i don't mind throwing them away when needed ... bamboo chopping board is one of those things

richms

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#1204304 26-Dec-2014 23:44

I have had several different choppingboards and the bamboo ones have lasted the best.

Worst were the laminated wood ones which promptly de-laminated into strips of wood because of crap glue.

Anyway, dont do anything special other than rub down with whatever cooking oil is around occasionally and put them in the dishwasher. If I have to buy a new one every few years when they are on sale its no biggie.

Richard rich.ms