Why you must not put wooden chopping boards in the Dishwasher

If you've got one of those cheap supermarket chopping boards that now has developed cracks and splits along the glue lines, then it's days are numbered, especially if it gets blasted in your dishwasher regularly. Of course we all love a bit of rustic charm, but too many splits like this and you’ll have structural damages that weaken and eventually destroy the board. 

There are 2 things that cause wood to change shape. - Extreme heat and hot water - the exact steamy conditions inside your dishwasher as it happens. Imagine the structure of wood like thousands of drinking straws neatly bunched together. Just like straws, the wood fibres have lots of space inside for water to get sucked into. If you heat the water up it will expand and bend the straw fibres.

Most commercially made chopping boards are constructed from lots of smaller pieces of wood tightly glued together - these are called laminated boards or end grain boards. 

Wood glue is very very strong, but when the wood fibres continually expand and contract, the glue bond is gradually weakened. This is why straight line cracks and splits will appear vertically along the glue joints in boards that have been subjected to too much hot water or extreme environment changes. 

Solid wood Chopping boards (made from a single slab) don't contain any glue joints - one of the reasons why I prefer them. But all wood will expand and contract and warp in reaction to moisture and heat, this is what wood is designed to do. Remember, wood does not enjoy a hot steam bath like we do. So keep it well away from your dishwasher.

All you really need to do to keep your wooden board clean and in great shape is wipe it over with a damp cloth every now and then and treat it to a little mineral oil conditioning every few months to keep it from drying out too much. Wood has natural resistance to bacteria, unlike plastic chopping boards that harbour them in the knife marks you leave. You can use aggressive cleaning products too as long as you wipe them off properly. 

The best wooden cutting boards are usually conditioned with mineral oil to keep them looking and performing how they should for a great many years.

If your boards are looking a bit dry, apply more oil, preferably food safe mineral oil because it is odourless and won't form a hard surface like some other oils do. 

I make kitchen furniture that should last at least a lifetime, so I hope this article helps you look after yours.