My wooden cutting board has lasted a decade. Here’s my care routine. | Life and style
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In theory I love the idea of a wooden cutting board. They don’t shed microplastics in your food, are naturally antibacterial and give off the rustic aesthetic that lives inside my Pinterest boards.
But they can also warp and crack over time – and crucially, they can’t go in the dishwasher.
For six weeks, food writer Marian Bull rigorously tested plastic-free cutting boards for us (this entailed chopping many, many onions). She ended up recommending four wooden options, including a gorgeous, high-end walnut slab from Butcher Block and a $60 model from John Boos. And after I discovered that she had been using the same wooden cutting board for nearly a decade, I realized they couldn’t be that much of a hassle to clean and care for.
“It’s got some stains on it, but other than that, it’s in the exact shape it was in when I first got it,” Bull said. Hers is a maple cutting board from John Boos.
Below, she shared her three-step method for preserving her wooden cutting board.
Discover our favorite plastic-free cutting boards: The six best plastic-free cutting boards in the US for 2026, tested
1. Wash it
Start by cleaning your cutting board. Remove any food residue and wash it with a gentle soap and water.
Next, thoroughly dry your wooden board. To speed up the process and help it dry evenly, Bull leans hers against something – think dish rack or backsplash – rather than lying it on top of a towel. “I’m impatient,” she joked.
2. Oil it
After your board is dry, apply a food-grade mineral oil with a clean towel, which helps prevent your wooden cutting board from warping.
Bull uses this oil from John Boos, which is designed for wood. She recommended letting the oil sit overnight, wiping off any excess in the morning.
3. Moisturize it. That’s it!
A cream can help moisturize your board and prevent it from cracking.
Bull said that some people recommend adding cream to your board each week, but she takes a more relaxed approach. “I think telling a basic home cook to do it more than once a month is a little crazy.”
Bull uses this cream from John Boos, which is made with food-grade mineral oil and an unbleached beeswax formula. You could also try this board butter from The Boardsmith.
To apply, you’ll need a small amount of cream and a clean towel or rag. She loves flour sack towels: “I just like the way that they wear. I like how they feel,” she said.
After letting it sit for a few hours or overnight, she wipes away any leftover residue.
Non-toxic kitchen upgrades: Our Place Titanium Pan
If you’re new around here, we have a slight obsession with plastic-free kitchen items. One of our favorites is Our Place’s Titanium Always Pan Pro, which was named best overall in our test of the best nonstick, non-toxic pans.
Right now, Our Place is running a sale for Memorial Day, offering a 10% discount on select finishes of the Titanium Always Pan Pro and up to 42% discounts on the rest of its titanium line.
Read more: Our favorite non-toxic, Pfas-free pan is finally on sale
Put to the test: Bath sheets
“Have I been drying myself all wrong?”
That’s the question Jon Chan, our resident bath towel expert, set out to answer in his investigation into bath sheets.
He recently tested one from American Soft Linen, taking advantage of its massive size to fashion it into a Romanesque toga and a body wrap.
Read the full story to find out if the bath sheet unseated his beloved Parachute linens that won best overall in our guide to the best bath towels.
Read his review: Have I been drying myself all wrong? My investigation into blanket-sized ‘bath sheets’
Travel corner: personal item backpacks
Our favorite personal-item backpacks all have one very important thing in common: they help you avoid gate fees.
Whether you’re traveling for Memorial Day weekend or planning out a summer adventure abroad, Filter contributor Jessica Reyes tested 12 models on flights to find under-seat bags worthy of replacing your carry-on suitcase.
The winner? A lightweight option from an Australian brand that she deemed a “prime example of a compact travel backpack that balances functionality with minimalism”.
Read our roundup: The four best personal-item backpacks that fit under US airline seats
Health corner: back pain essentials
After Filter contributor Richard Baguley slipped a disc in his back, he made it his mission to test out the best gadgets to aid his recovery.
From a pair of slip-on shoes disguised as lace-ups to a foldable trolley he called “the SUV of the cart world”, he shared seven of the products that made his recovery bearable.
Shop the starter pack: Seven essential gadgets to live with when you have back pain, from grabbers to lap desks
In the news: Pfas in leggings
I’ve owned Lululemon leggings for years.
So, after the Texas attorney general’s office announced it had opened an investigation into Lululemon for potentially using Pfas, or harmful “forever chemicals,” in its apparel, I knew I had to learn more.
I asked three experts how worried we should be about these chemicals in our activewear, and what they recommend for Pfas-free brands.
Interested in our other Pfas-free recommendations? Check out our guide to non-toxic, nonstick pans and our favorite Pfas-free rain jackets.
Read the story: How worried should I be about Pfas in my leggings?
