Replies

1. 
   Gretchen_ | Sep 27, 2001 01:51pm | #1

   *
   I am having trouble (as a cook) envisioning how "food safe" your top needs to be if it isn't going to be used for cutting. How will food come in contact with it such that it would be possibly contaminated. Over on the Wood board you were more complete saying that the paint store says nothing is FDA approved. But for example, all finishes are safe for baby furniture when fully cured. This should certainly be enough for your butcher block if not cut upon. I put veggies down on my varnished kitchen table occasionally--as I said, I am just having trouble seeing this as a problem.
   For what it is worth, I have a large butcher block counter that I do cut on. It is unfinished completely so I can scrub and bleach it as needed.

1. 
   Danford_C._Jennings | Sep 27, 2001 04:46pm | #2

   *Gretchen,You putb bleach on your butcher blocks? Please elaborate, the following is taken off the label of Clorox Bleach:b DANGER:CORROSIVEi May cause severe irritation or damage to eyes and skin. Harmfull if swallowed. Protect eyes when handling. For prolonged use, wear gloves. Wash after contact with product. Avoid breathing vapors and use only in well ventilated area.Dano

1. 
   Matthew_Schenker | Sep 27, 2001 10:13pm | #3

   *I finish my butcher blocks with almond oil.Like Gretchen, I also use a bleach/water solution to clean my butcher blocks. Make a mixture with a 4:1 water-to-bleach ratio. Put it in a spray bottle, apply to the wood surface, let it stand for few seconds, then wipe away with a paper towel.When you cut on a butcher block, you create grooves that collect food particles and generate bacteria. Also, between uses, dust and other airborne nastiness gets in there. Bleach cleans it all out very effectively. After a short time, the bleach evaporates and leaves just water. It's effective and safe. Just make sure you don't OVER bleach (remember 4:1 ratio).People used bleach for ages and ages before we had our "modern" cleaning solutions. It's still the best one out there!

1. 
   Danford_C._Jennings | Sep 27, 2001 11:58pm | #4

   *Matthew,Thank you, I didn't see the part where she saysi water and bleach solution.Dano

1. 
   Gretchen_ | Sep 28, 2001 02:09pm | #5

   *Well, I didn't really say that but as a long time homemaker I have used straight bleach on a lot of things. By the time I scrub it in with a plastic scrubby and then wipe it off numerous times it is pretty quickly diluted. Any cutting board needs this treatment from time to time.

2. 
   Matthew_Schenker | Sep 28, 2001 03:38pm | #6

   *Gretchen,Maybe I'll just use the bleach straight-up next time! Probably, we are ending up with the same results, just creating the bleach-to-water ratio differently.