this post was submitted on 05 Apr 2025
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Woodworking

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Conventional wisdom regarding finishing cutting boards and other food prep surfaces is to coat them heavily with mineral oil and/or a food safe paste wax to "seal" and/or "condition" them. Seri Robinson asserts otherwise, her research has shown that any finish applied to wood decreases its natural anti-microbial properties.

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[–] CompactFlax@discuss.tchncs.de 9 points 2 days ago (2 children)

Ftfa: Unfinished wood is naturally anti­microbial. In fact, when rinsed and dried properly between uses, it is self-cleaning. Wood finishes only serve to undermine this amazing property of wood.

[–] gandalf_der_12te@discuss.tchncs.de 1 points 2 days ago (2 children)

while partially true, unoiled wood also tends to take in any kind of fluid deeper, and that includes coffee stains, oil stains, and smells. i honestly don't prefer my woodworks start smelling a bit over time.

[–] CompactFlax@discuss.tchncs.de 3 points 2 days ago

Yeah I’m not sure I’m going to stop oiling my counter. But if you just used a plank and replaced it every year? Probably better than spending $500 on a boos block and treating it like an heirloom.

[–] HewlettHackard@lemmy.ca 1 points 2 days ago

Did you see the pictures in the article showing how stains disappear?

[–] Zexks@lemmy.world -4 points 2 days ago (2 children)

If that was true wood would not decompose.

[–] CompactFlax@discuss.tchncs.de 10 points 2 days ago

Wood that is kept dry is very resistant to decomposition.

[–] gandalf_der_12te@discuss.tchncs.de 4 points 2 days ago (1 children)

well it decomposes slowly, over 20 years, while continuously being exposed to moisture

[–] FauxPseudo@lemmy.world 4 points 2 days ago

Knife cuts break the board down more than bacteria and moisture.