Help!!!!! cutting board stains

cigalechanta · Joined: 27 Dec 2004 Posts: 200 Location: cambridge, ma.

I have two very old French cutting boards. I recently did some entertaining and guests have dropped olive oil or something left dribbled stains. I tried hot water but can't remove them. Any ideas?
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Dairy_Queen · Posted: Tue May 17, 2005 2:25 am Post subject:

This is a head-scratcher, cigalechanta. I've used wood cutting boards my entire life, and aside from RED wine, I have never had a stain on them.

You might want to try a bit of lemon juice or a baking soda slurry on them to see if that lifts the "stain". However, if the oil penetrated deeply, you might have to treat the entire board with olive oil, to have the color match.
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cigalechanta · Joined: 27 Dec 2004 Posts: 200 Location: cambridge, ma.

Thanks, if worse come to worse but I think it won't blend evenly.
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Sharing food with another human being is an intimate act that should not be indulged in lightly
..................................MFK Fisher

Rainey · Posted: Tue May 17, 2005 3:07 am Post subject:

Hard to say what will happen but sometimes these things resolve themselves. Either the oil distributes itlself more generally or the discoloration just fades. You know, like when you stir tomato sauce and everything has that orange/red color that you can't get out but 48 hours later you can't see it anymore...

You might put the board outside in the full sun and see what time and nature can do for you.

Wine and Figs · Posted: Tue May 17, 2005 3:44 am Post subject:

HI! I have used salt on stains in the past. Back in the olden days, I was a Hollywood Food Stylist, and we used salt to disinfect/destain anything wooden. Just glob a mound on top of the oil, let it sit overnight and it should "suck" the oil out ot the wood. Don't use sea salt or any kind of "large" crystal salt. Let me know if this works!!!

birgit · Joined: 31 Jan 2005 Posts: 247 Location: Germany

This amazes me, because I frequently apply oil on my wooden cutting boards, at least each time they look dry. I 've always used salad oil, but now I've read this, hm ...: "Mineral oil is a popular choice. So too is a combination of beeswax and oil. (...) Don't use salad oil or olive oil. Either one will turn rancid in time." (found at: http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/feature/-/31588/102-1425521-7876942). I wouldn't use paraffin, though.

Lady Amalthea · Joined: 18 Dec 2004 Posts: 136 Location: New York City

I agree with Wine and Figs. Salt has always worked really well for me. I usually just use Kosher salt, which is large crystal, and it's never given me problems...
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cigalechanta · Joined: 27 Dec 2004 Posts: 200 Location: cambridge, ma.

Thanks everyone. I did as wine and figs suggested , leaving the salt overnight. I dampened the boards first so the salt could be absorbed.
Few of the new stains now remain. I've coated them both with the mineral oil as birgit mentioned. They look darker but so much better, as if I gave my cutting boards a face lift. They were so dry! I paniced because I carried these heavy things back to Boston from France on two different trips and would hate to discard them.
Thanks again to you all!
_________________
Sharing food with another human being is an intimate act that should not be indulged in lightly
..................................MFK Fisher

Erin · Posted: Sun May 29, 2005 2:41 pm Post subject:

Oil is good for wooden cutting boards, if it was me I'd just oil it up to make it even. Eventually it will fade.
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