Keeping an Old Butcher Block Clean

By Recoil Rob (Guest Post)

I just found this thread because I just spent the afternoon sanding two old blocks with a belt sander. The stickiness is probably old fat from years of meat cutting. My blocks smelled like old prosciutto while I was sanding. I have them baking in the sun right now and you can see the oil rising to the surface

By rsg (Guest Post)

I dont know but I have an almost idential situation and would love to get feedback from someone who actually worked off a wooden block years ago

By chml (Guest Post)

Years ago I watched a butcher clean a butcher block. He used regular table salt sprinkled on kind of heavy and a rough brush (wire or scrub), and went over them every night at closing time. Good luck.

By carla bledsoe (Guest Post)

it sounds like someone put some kind of finish on it that shouldn't be used on wood. some oils do that too. some folks mistakenly think cooking oil is good for cutting boards.
i'd sand it down to clean wood.

By

Katie A.

Sand it down and refinish it with a non-toxic finish.