Many finish oils are available on the market to give wood a fine finish. But not all the available options on the market are safe for kitchen and other food-related items such as cutting boards and wooden spatulas.
If you are looking for a food-grade mineral oil to finish your cutting board, you’re in the right place.
Check out this Howad’s cutting board oil review to make the best decision for your cutting board today!
Howad’s Cutting Board Oil Review
Howard’s cutting board oil is a special mineral oil brand for treating kitchen cutting boards to prevent cracks and warps. Howad Products Inc. manufactures it, and it comes in a 12 ounces bottle.
Unlike many other mineral oils, Howard’s cutting board oil is a food-grade mineral oil that does not leave any color, taste, or odor on your cutting board.
This cutting board treatment oil contains food-grade mineral oil that will not go rancid on your cutting board.
Also, the mineral oil in Howad’s cutting board oil is stabilized with vitamin E. This means that the oil does not harm users because the fat-soluble nutrient vitamin E is found in many foods and works as an antioxidant.
Howad’s cutting board oil is the perfect treatment oil for seasoning your cutting board and other wooden utensils in your kitchen. It is safe to use on all food preparation surfaces and meets all the requirements for food contact surfaces laid out by the Food and Drug Administration.
It is produced under strict conditions to ensure that there are no possible allergenic materials in it.
Besides its safety for food contact surfaces, the next best thing about Howad’s cutting board oil is its affordability. The oil costs only $15.99 for a 12 ounces bottle. The bottle can last you for a very long time.
Is Howard Cutting Board Oil Good?
Howard’s cutting board oil is an excellent seasoning oil for your cutting board.
Besides meeting the Food and Drug Administration’s rules regarding food contact surfaces, Howad’s cutting board oil penetrates deep into the wood.
It soaks into the cutting board wood very nicely to nourish the wood. This is unlike olive and other oils that only gum up instead of penetrating and nourishing the wood. Howard’s cutting board oil does not gum up on an application.
Also, Howard’s cutting board oil has just the right amount of consistency; it is neither too thick nor too thin. This makes for easy absorption into the wood. It penetrates deep into the wood to rejuvenate it and enhance the cutting board wood’s natural color.
Considerations To Keep in Mind When Using Howad’s Cutting Board Oil
Although some DIYers may complain that the oil is too greasy, the reason for this complaint is excess use. The best way to ensure that you get a perfect job with your Howad’s cutting board oil is to apply only a little on the cutting board.
After that, you want to spread it evenly with a paper towel instead of a fluffy rag or towel. This is the best way because it prevents the oil from gumming or becoming too greasy.
There are other considerations you also need to keep in mind when using Howad’s cutting board oil. This is especially true if you want great results.
These considerations include the best way to apply it, how many coats are enough, and how long it takes to dry the wood. These considerations are discussed below;
The Best Way to Apply the Howad’s Cutting Board Oil
You start by giving your surface a nice sanding with around 400 grit sandpaper to make it nice and smooth. This is important because if your cutting board is not smooth, you will not get a fine finish.
After sanding the wood to get a smooth finish, you want to use a dry cloth to wipe off all that excess dust from the sanding. Again, this is a step you do not want to skip. You want to take care to wipe off the debris and the dust because these can prevent the oil from penetrating the wood and nourishing it well.
The third step is to squirt some Howad’d cutting board oil all over the cutting board. Do not pour the oil indiscriminately, as this will lead to a gummy and greasy finish. You want to squirt only a small amount for a start.
Preferably, you can form an “S” pattern with the oil on the cutting board. Do this back and forth along the whole length of the cutting board.
Spreading the oil all over the board is the next step. You want to use a spreader instead of a terry cloth towel or a heavy rag. While the spreader will spread the oil without absorbing any, a terry cloth or rag will absorb a lot of your Howad’s cutting board oil.
Your goal is to spread the oil around the cutting board and not soak a rag. So you must use a spreader.
But you also want to ensure that your spreader is a plastic one and not a metal spreader. A metal spreader is more likely to make marks on the already smoothed surface of the cutting board, but a plastic spreader will not make cuts or deep marks on your cutting board.
You want to spread the oil evenly on the cutting board, holding the spreader at a 45° angle. Keep the spread light and nice. If you push the spreader down hard, you will move more oil over a particular surface than you should.
As you spread, keep the spreader diagonally at a 45° angle as you reach the end of the cutting board. At this point, you want to spread the oil slowly to have a line of oil at the edge.
Once you have a nice line of oil along the edge, you want to take a clean rag and lightly rub the line of oil on the edges. After covering the top and edges, you want to add excess oil to the rag.
Wipe the vertical sides of the cutting board very slowly. For this step, you must roll your rag firmly so that you don’t have dangling edges when you apply the oil on the vertical sides of the cutting board with the rag.
The Appropriate Drying Time For Howad’s Cutting Board Oil
Applying it right is only one part. How much time is appropriate for letting the oil sit on the board is another important part of the job to consider if you want a perfect finish on your cutting board.
From experience, it would be best to let it sit for no less than 8 hours after each coat. This is enough time for the oil to sink into the raw cutting board wood nicely and prevent it from warping or shrinking.
How Many Coats Is Ideal?
You can apply 4 coats with 8 hours of drying time between each coat. You want to let the cutting board sit for 8 hours after the first coat.
After 8 hours of drying for the first coat, you take your cloth and gently wipe off the excess from the cutting board. Wipe the sides also and let it dry. The drying time will generally depend on your workspace’s humidity level and temperature.
After drying it, take a palm sander of 400 grit and lightly sand the surface. You mustn’t press down on the cutting board as you sand. If you push down the sander, you will make grooves and dips, which will ruin the job.
After sanding lightly, wipe the dust off with a soft clean, and dry towel. Do not use the towel you used earlier to apply the oil. Your goal here is to remove the dust from the light sanding, not to apply the second coat yet.
Remove the dust from the light sanding to prepare your cutting board for the second coat. Repeat this process for the remaining two coats. You want to coat the board at least 4 times for the best results.
Conclusion
Taking the considerations above in mind as you work your Howad’s cutting board, oil on your cutting board is guaranteed to give you that beautiful honey-color cutting board. What’s more? Your cutting board is food safe.
Allowing it to dry well ensures no odor or taste on the board to interfere with your food.
Also, ensure that you do not use heavy rags or terry cloth to wipe the oil during the coating phases. Terry cloths are usually double-woven to absorb as much liquid as possible. This is why they are used to make bath and hand towels.
Using a terry cloth or any other heavy towel or rag will only waste your Howad’s cutting board oil. The cloth will greatly absorb your product instead of spreading it on your raw cutting board wood.
Hence, when spreading the oil, it would be best to use a plastic spreader and a light towel or rag for the vertical edge of your cutting board.
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