Your cutting board is one of the hardest-working tools in your kitchen. It earns its place every day, taking on proteins, vegetables, herbs, and more. A well-made board like the SteelCore™ Cutting Board is built to handle all of that, and like any high-quality wooden cutting board, proper care will keep it performing beautifully for years to come.
This guide walks through exactly how to care for your SteelCore™ cutting board, and any high-quality wood board, so it stays true, stable, and ready for a lifetime of use.
Wash It by Hand — Always
Never put a wooden cutting board in the dishwasher.
Dishwasher heat and detergents are too aggressive. They strip natural oils from the wood, lift fibers, and, over time, cause warping or splitting.
Instead:
- Rinse or wipe away debris after use. Tip: A Bench Scraper is a great kitchen tool for getting sticky or dried-on food off a cutting board
- Use mild soap and warm water
- Handwash the board only
- Dry thoroughly with a towel or stand your board on its edge to let any residual moisture drip off
A premium wood cutting board should never sit in a sink of water or be soaked for an extended period. Prolonged water exposure weakens the wood and shortens its life.
Avoid Extremes
Wood responds to its environment, naturally shrinking and swelling in reaction to changes in heat and moisture. While the patent-pending SteelCore™ design - a steel beam matrix embedded at the core of each board - helps prevent cracking and warping that other wood boards commonly face, keeping your cutting board in a more neutral environment (room temperature, dry, etc.) will ensure it lasts even longer.
Avoid:
- Prolonged contact with water
- High heat
- Steam from pots and pans
These extremes can cause the board to expand, contract, or warp. A healthy board does best in a stable environment.
Condition the Wood — Regularly
Wood wants to be nourished. In addition to avoiding harmful elements (excessive heat, moisture, etc.), you can also add beneficial elements like natural board conditioners and oils to help your wooden boards last longer.
There are many board conditioner products on the market, but when STEELPORT launched the SteelCore™ cutting board line, we developed an all-natural Hemp-Based Board Conditioner. It’s a modern take on a traditional wood treatment, a simple but unique blend of hemp seed oil and beeswax that deeply penetrates and protects without petroleum. STEELPORT’s all-natural formula is excellent for preserving the heirloom-quality wood surfaces in your kitchen, from cutting boards and butcher blocks to knife handles and utensils.
What does it do?
- Absorbs into the grain to condition the wood
- Adds resilience and a smooth feel
- Helps the board resist moisture and staining
- Keeps the surface supple and ready for use
Conditioning isn’t a one-time step. How often you treat your board depends on use, but a good rule of thumb is:
- Treat when the wood looks dry
- Treat when water no longer beads on the surface
- At minimum, treat seasonally
Regular conditioning, whether you use the STEELPORT Hemp-Based Board Conditioner or another food-safe wood treatment, is an important part of keeping your wood cutting board and other premium wooden kitchen tools looking and performing their best.
Use Both Sides — Intentionally
Unlike any other cutting board available, the SteelCore™ cutting board offers dual-sided versatility of a wood side and a non-porous side.
The premium wood side of your SteelCore™ board is exceptionally knife-friendly, helping keep your blade sharper for longer and withstand years of use while resisting deep cuts. It is ideal for everyday kitchen prep tasks, and also provides a beautiful surface for entertaining, like serving charcuterie boards, fruit and vegetable trays, and more.
The other side offers a non-porous recycled paper composite surface complete with a juice groove. It won't absorb juices from raw meat, smells from onions or garlic, or spicy oils from chilis. Many non-wood cutting boards today are made of plastic, which has created a growing concern of microplastics getting into food - there are no plastics in SteelCore™ cutting boards.
Having two different surface options lets you choose the appropriate side for the task at hand, ultimately serving you better and helping the board last longer.
You should condition the wood side of your board regularly, but there’s no need to apply any treatment to the composite side.
Why This Matters
Like carbon steel knives, think of wood as a living material. It responds to use and environment. If you want to use the best tools for the job, adhering to just a few basic maintenance rules will ensure those tools perform their best for years to come.
Proper care doesn’t just protect the board; it makes every cut better, every prep easier, and every meal more intentional.