My hair is really fragile. (Stay with me; I promise it’s relevant.) Despite following all of HairTok’s rules, my tresses quickly become dry and brittle. So in addition to avoiding the brush when my hair is wet and increasing the time between wash days, I occasionally slather on a deep conditioning hair mask. After 15 minutes and a rinse, my hair is soft, shiny, and moisturized. It’s the lowest-maintenance, best way to keep my hair healthy. And I’m convinced Boos Block Board Cream does the same thing for my end-grain maple cutting board.
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My colleagues at Serious Eats and I are, well, serious about our wooden cutting boards. If you’re going to invest in a high-quality board, you’ve got to maintain it. That means keeping it clean and regularly oiling it. Kenji’s got a great guide for that here. My cutting board gets a ton of use—my household cooks three times a day, almost every day—so I oil it once a week.
But even with that regular upkeep, it gets dry and dull. When that happens, it’s more prone to cracking and can dull knives. So once a month, I apply Boos Block Board Cream and let it sit overnight. In the morning, I wipe away any excess cream with a clean kitchen towel and get back to chopping and slicing. Want to see the difference for yourself? Swipe for the before and after.
Boos recommends using the Board Cream before storing your cutting or carving board because it’s much thicker than the mineral oil used for regular maintenance. That’s why a thick overnight layer of the cream is so effective. When left alone for at least 12 hours, my cutting board can slowly absorb it, which hydrates and moisturizes it on a deeper level. I use it on wooden spoons, too.
I don’t recommend using the Board Cream as a substitute for mineral oil, but it’s a luxurious occasional treatment that has kept my gear in mint condition. I consider it a spa day for my cutting board.
Why We’re the Experts
- Rochelle Bilow is an editor at Serious Eats, romance novelist, and cookbook author.
- Previously, she worked at Bon Appétit magazine.
- Rochelle has owned her cutting board for over five years. To keep it smelling fresh, she occasionally scrubs it with kosher salt and half a cut lemon.
