My wife tells me cutting boards need to be oiled to keep water and bacteria from getting down into the wood pores. I'd assume this would also mean the underside of boards exposed to moisture from the sink trap. And she says it has to be some kind of oil that doesn't go rancid. She has a bottle of something labeled as cutting board oil... probably the expensive version of an oil available cheaper elsewhere.
"Wooden boards need oiling once a week to seal the grain against bacteria. An oil finish helps to prevent the wood from cracking or pulling apart at the seams. Use a product that is (1) edible; and (2) tasteless. USP-grade mineral oil is a popular choice as it is the cheapest pure food-grad oil you can buy (do not use vegetable or olive oil because it can turn rancid). Before applying oil to butcher block, warm the oil slightly. Apply oil with a soft cloth, in the direction of the grain, allowing the oil to soak in. Allow oil to soak in a few minutes, then remove all surface oil with a dry, clean cloth.
Some professional cooks like to add a little beeswax to the mineral oil for a tougher finish. Simply shave about 1/2 teaspoon beeswax into a microwave safe dish with a cupful of mineral oil; microwave on high for about 45 seconds. Apple to the cutting board or butcher block while still warm. Save of dispose of the remainder of the oil."
My experience is that the old stuff almost all ways works better than the newfangled ones that promise to do this and that. My father owned an industrial commercial chemical sales company and the stuff off the shelf is so watered down that it is almost better to use plain old soap and water.
Besides if vinegar smelled good, most of the chemical companies would not have a product to sell. I try to buy commercial or in concentrate so I can control the strength of what I am using.
I did find it interesting the info that is now available on wood vs. plastic. Our plastic ones go in the dishwasher after every use, and I have a veggie board and a meat board that I use exclusively for the individual foodstuffs. I quit using wood 15 years ago because at the time the research said wood was botulism waiting to happen. Now I find out that the plastic ones are dulling my knives aaarrrgggg
__________________
Brett G
WBCCI #5501 AIR # 49
"Stop worrying about the potholes in the road and celebrate the journey." -- Fitzhugh Mullan
Wise men talk because they have someting to say; fools, because they have to say something. -- Plato
In politics, absurdity is not a handicap— Napoleon
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