ZimBOARD Cutting Board Care

Thank You!

Congratulations on your purchase of our solid hardwood “ZimBoard Cutting Board.

We design our boards to be used but we also recognize their décor value and with that said, we want them to remain beautiful and useful for many years. Below we will identify critical board care instructions and encourage you to follow them.

3 must do’s to protect your Solid Wood Cutting Board.

1. Always wash your board wetting both sides regardless of whether it needs it or not. Wetting or oiling one side of the board without the opposite may cause warping or cracking.

2. Oil your board monthly or more often with more frequent use.

3. Whenever possible, stand the board on edge when storing. Lying it flat, especially on an uneven surface for extended periods of time may cause damage to the board.  

3 No-No’s that will damage your Solid Wood Cutting Board    

1. Heat will damage hardwood! Solid wood boards should never be placed on hot surfaces. Solid wood boards should never be stored near hot appliances / heaters.

2. CHOPPING is for “Chopping Blocks” (End-grain Butcher Block style boards). We design our ZimBOARDS for cutting and carving meats and vegetables. Using a Clever, especially sharp-edged cleaver’s will damaged wood fibers and is not recommended.

3. NEVER place a Solid Wood Board into a dishwasher – doing so will cause warping and cracking!         

Your ZimBoard Wood Cutting Board requires your care. Please read our care instructions.

Using your cutting board.

Be certain to NEVER cut continuously on the same surface area of the board. Rather, distribute your cutting over the entire work surface of the board so that it wears evenly. Using cleavers on our boards excessively and with excessive force may cause damage (absolutely DO NOT use a razor-edged cleaver). Using sharp-edged cleavers may chip or splinter the boards’ wood fibers.

Fish & Poultry

Always cut fish, seafood or poultry on a clean and oiled board. The moisture barrier (mineral oil) must be intact prior to cutting any type of seafood or poultry. ALWAYS CLEAN THE CUTTING BOARD THOROUGHLY AFTER CUTTING FISH OR POULTRY.

How to clean your board.

Clean your wood cutting board by wiping the board down using a soft washcloth with a mild dish soap and warm water (always wash/wet both sides of the board to prevent warping). Rinse thoroughly with freshwater (do not submerge board) then immediately hand-dry thoroughly by wiping all surfaces with a dry dish towel. Once wiped dry, stand on edge to finish drying. NEVER submerge your Wood Cutting Board in water! NEVER wash your wood cutting board with harsh detergents our chemical solvents of any type. DO NOT wash your cutlery or utensils on your Z-Board. ABSOLUTELY NEVER put a wood cutting board into a dishwasher – washing a solid wood cutting board in a dishwasher will cause severe damage to the board!

Our boards are reversible meaning they are used on both sides – when cleaning (wetting) the board be sure to clean (wet) both sides of the board regardless of whether both sides need it or not. Wipe dry and stand the board on edge or on end.

How to sanitize – To reduce the chance of food cross contamination we recommend using a single cutting board for specific foods such as fish and seafood, or raw meat or fruits and vegetables. If you use a cutting board for different foods we recommend you “sanitize” it between uses. To sanitize take a washed cutting board - mix 1 cup bleach to a gallon of water and thoroughly wipe down the board with the bleach solution – rinse with fresh water then wipe dry with a towel and let stand on edge over night - re-oil with food-grade mineral oil. 

Storing Your Board - Our cutting boards are thick and are stable when placed on edge. We recommend our boards be stored standing on edge and away from any heat source. Doing so ensures consistent atmospheric conditions exist around the entire board.     

Board longevity – With simple but consistant care your ZimBoard Wood Cutting Board will last for many years - You must keep your wood cutting board oiled – we recommend conditioning it at least once every month depending on usage (more frequent use may require more oiling). Please understand your cutting board is an heirloom quality cutting board but it is also solid wood and must retain a moisture barrier conditioned with food-safe mineral oil or brand name cutting board butter (conditioner) on its surfaces to fight against bacterial contamination as well as warping. Not conditioning with oil, submerging it in water or placing in a dishwasher can cause damage (warp, split) to your wood cutting board.

Your board is thick enough that if you want to remove knife marks from board use you simply sand them away and re-oil the board. 

Conditioning your wood cutting board – Applying the “Oil” moisture barrier.

We cure our cutting boards using “Odie’s Oil Finish and Stabilizer then finish with a finishing wax. Other wood cutting board treatment brands are available and must be labeled as Solvent Free and Food Safe. Traditionally, Food Grade Mineral Oil is used to create and maintain a cutting boards’ moisture barrier and is adequate.

Be aware that household environmental conditions will vary based on climate and or season and can affect a wood board’s condition. To ensure the longevity of your board we recommend applying oil treatment onto a clean board once a month. This is a simple and quick process using a soft cloth to apply the mineral oil thoroughly on both surfaces of the board (always condition both sides of the board). 

Whether you’re using a Brand treatment or food safe mineral oil you must allow the oil to fully penetrate through the wood fibers – allow to sit overnight, then wipe off excess oil. Apply additional oil to any visible dry spots. For additional protection apply a suitable cutting board finishing wax (we apply Odie’s Wood Butter Finish). After allowing the conditioned board to cure overnight wipe off excess oil/wax. 

Repair

Warpage, cupping or bowing is the result of an imbalance of moisture between the two surfaces of the wood cutting board typically caused by either wetting / oiling only one side of the board.

Apply mineral oil liberally to the concave side of the board only and allow to sit for a week or so. If warpage is not corrected within two weeks, tape plastic to the convex side of the board and oil the reverse side every day – board will adjust to humidity.     

Stains such as from red beats can be removed using a baking soda-water mixture applied by hand to the stained surface area.

Damage nicks, or knife cuts can be removed by sanding them out using a fine sand paper (150 grit). Once sanded, liberally apply food-grade mineral oil to the entire board re-establishing the board’s moisture barrier.

More Wood Cutting Board No No’s.

  1. DO NOT allow liquids of any type to stand on the cutting board for long periods of time.
  2. DO NOT let fresh, wet meats lay on the board longer than necessary. Wood absorbs liquid (water, blood) and can cause the wood cutting board to expand and the wood to soften
  3. Over an extended period of use (hours) use a spatula as necessary to keep the cutting board clean and sanitary – doing so removes most of the liquid from the wood board which is recommended. NEVER use a steel brush on your wood cutting board.
  4. DO NOT cut fish or poultry on the cutting board work surface without it having a fresh moisture barrier (food grade mineral oil, or wood cutting board conditioner).
  5. NEVER submerge your wood cutting board in water – NEVER put your board into a dish washer.

Customer Service

If you have questions related to your ZimBoards Cutting Board please do not hesitate to contact us. Treasured Country Gifts owns and operates ZimBoards.com

TreasuredCountryGifts.com Inc.
29 Dawson Drive
Mohnton, PA. 19540

stephen@zimboards.com                                                
cathleen@treasuredcountrygifts.com

610-856-1223