YOUR BOARD IS READY FOR USE WHEN IT ARRIVES!

With regular use, a little maintenance will be necessary to renew the natural beauty of the grain as well as protect and preserve it from future use.

Your new board has been completed with a two stage conditioning process before being shipped off to you. Stage one is a dip of food grade mineral oil. Once mineral oil is soaked in, we apply BeeNew™, (a board conditioner made by Square Tree Lane). To maintain your board, we recommend reconditioning it whenever needed with a food safe board conditioner that has a infinite shelf life. There are many conditioners to choose from but we believe BeeNew™ is the best

for a number of reasons.

A little goes a long way & it isn't as messy as some conditioners, making the job much easier without spilling or wasting product. Speaking from personal experience, when something doesn't seem like a big hassle, I am less likely to put it off.

BeeNew™ contains only three ingredients and they are all FDA approved for all wood surfaces intended for use with food. Each ingredients have a never-ending shelf life so your board will always look and smell great.

Because we want you to love your board now and long into the future, we include a container of BeeNew™ with every food purposed board purchase you make at Square Tree Lane.

BeeNew™ is like a facial for your board. It renews & protects it against the elements it will be subjected to.

In fact, your board is pretty tough! It was made to stand up to knife marks (if it is a cutting board). Even our charcuterie boards are made to be used time and again.

While we're on the subject, here are some big and important nevers for you:

*Never use a knife to cut on a face grain board (charcuterie boards tend to be built in face grain construction).

*Never put your wood board in the dishwasher. The dishwasher will ruin your board and little can be done to fix it.

*Never submerge a cutting board in water. A quick dunk to remove excess food is okay but soaking can cause warping.

*Avoid using harsh or concentrated cleaners on your board.

*Never use cooking oil on your cutting board. Over time, it will become rancid and smell.

Why not just use plastic or nylon boards? It is so much easier!

On the surface, plastic seems like the easier choice but in actuality, it isn't doing the job you think it is. It is true you can put plastic and nylon boards in the dishwasher but it doesn't prevent bacteria from getting trapped inside the mars and cuts that inevitably happen from knives. In a nutshell, a study was done years after the plastic cutting board trend began and it turns out wood boards are more safe than plastic because wood (when properly dried) will not harbor harmful bacteria within it's fibers. See more about that here.

Doesn't coconut oil work as a board conditioner?

The short answer is no. Anything that has a shelf life is bad for food purposed boards and will make it smell or worse yet, harmful. If you have ever smelled rancid oil, you definitely wouldn't want that odor trapped in your board.

Beeswax, Carnuba and Food Safe Mineral Oil are all stable products that will last indefinitely and offer beauty and safety to your cutting board, charcuterie, sushi, cheese, cafe, etc board. They can all work as board conditioners in their own right but Beeswax would be pretty hard to manipulate without the liquid emulsifier of food safe mineral oil. Mineral oil would be easier to apply, but it would be messy and likely need to be applied more frequently. Carnuba is best as a supporting actor to the main ingredients. The combination is much easier and an asset to the look and health of your board.

HOW OFTEN SHOULD YOU CONDITION YOUR BOARD?

The process for conditioning is always the same, but the frequency required will vary depending on the board type and how often it's used. Cutting boards require more attention. They are often used for things that require sanitizing after being used and sanitizing will make it necessary to condition more often.

When cutting raw meat or chicken, it is important to sanitize before using it again. Charcuterie boards are usually exposed to cooked food and all that is necessary is a mild detergent and warm water. That said, after you have cleaned and given your board adequate dry time, it's a good time to assess whether it needs conditioning. If it looks or feels dry, you can bring it back to life by using BeeNew™ conditioner or any other conditioner that has been deemed food safe and offers unlimited shelf life.

The bottom line: Boards are pretty forgiving so don't stress if you didn't get it conditioned right away. The overall maintenance is what matters. Once you've watched your board your transform from dull and dry to rich and full of depth you will likely be motivated to break out the conditioner more often.

Cleaning Methods (based on use)

Dry Goods (bread) Brush/wipe off any crumbs with damp or dry cloth.

Fresh Produce & Cooked (Meat/Cheese) Scrub with warm soapy water. Rinse, towel dry, & air dry. Follow up with conditioner of necessary.

Raw Proteins (Meat/Fish) Wipe/flood board with vinegar or bleach solution, rinse, towel dry, & air dry. Follow up with conditioner.

Drying procedure After you’ve cleaned & towel dried your board prop it up to allow for airflow on all sides (as much as possible). *Propping is not necessary if your board is on rubber feet.

FAQ

How often should I condition my board? It depends on the frequency & type of use. A dry rough texture means it’s time to give it some attention.

How much conditioner should I be using? You can’t over condition your board. It will stop absorbing conditioner when it is completely saturated & the excess will need to be wiped away. To avoid wasting conditioner, apply it sparingly & add more if you still notice dryness.

Should I wash both sides of my board even when one side didn’t get exposed to food? No but do allow both sides to get wet during the rinse so your board will dry evenly.

Is it necessary to condition my board after every cleaning? No, It may need to be conditioned after using one of the sanitizing solutions but when using the other cleaning methods, you will get several uses before it is necessary to condition your board again. * Always make sure your board is clean & dry before starting the conditioning process.

How long does it take to air dry my board? It is a good idea to wait 8 to 12 hrs or overnight before applying conditioner. Drying your board thoroughly helps to avoid harmful bacteria.

Cleaning Methods

Sanitizing Methods

Vinegar Method - 1 part white vinegar to 1 part water.

Bleach Method - 1 tablespoon bleach to 1 gallon water.

Directions (for either solution) - Flood board with one of the above solutions & allow it to stand for a moment before thoroughly rinsing. Towel dry & then air dry. Allow as much airflow over entire board as possible. After board is completely dry, follow up with a board conditioner if necessary after board has completely dried.

Deodorizing Method

Directions - To neutralize odors like garlic & onion, flood surface of board with lemon juice (fresh or bottled). Let stand for 3-5 minutes. Towel dry & apply a heavy coating of baking soda. Let stand for 20 minutes or more. Brush off baking soda & discard. Wipe any remaining residue with a damp cloth, prop & allow to completely dry. Follow up with conditioner if necessary after board has completely dried.Soap & Water Method

Soap and Water Method

Directions - Use a squirt of mild dish detergent to 1 gallon of warm water. Scrub with plastic scrub brush or pad to remove any stuck on residue from food. Rinse, towel dry & prop allowing as much airflow as possible on all sides. Follow up with board condition if necessary after board has completely dried.

BeeNew™ is a blend of beeswax, Carnuba, & food-safe mineral oil. Each component offers an endless shelf life & is FDA approved. We have blended the 3 together to make quick & easy work out of keeping your board healthy & beautiful for a lifetime.

BeeNew Application

Make sure your board is clean & dry before applying condtioner
Using a lint free cloth, apply conditioner to all sides of your board, (including bottom).
After 20 minutes or more, use a second lint free cloth to wip away any remaining conditioner you can see or fee. Your board is once again ready to use.

The Complete Guide To Board Care