I just use a damp cloth for most things. I also keep a spray bottle with a mild dish soap solution for anything that requires a bit more. If you keep it oiled enough (don't let it get dry), the oiled surface itself should repel most stuff.

I am so glad you asked this question. WE also have a butcher block top on our island. I do use mild soap and water for daily cleaning and we keep ours oiled fairly regularly. However it feels sort of gummy sometimes and I would like to take all that off and have a clean surface to use the beeswax combo. Any suggestions for removing this build up?

I just wipe it with a soapy dishcloth.

vwhippiechick - I haven't used my new BB countertop enough yet to experience that "gummy" feel that sometimes occurs on BB after long use (even with routine cleaning with mild dish soap) - but my old BB slab that I had in my old kitchen would get that fell sometimes. When that would happen, I would either scrape it down good with my metal bench scraper/dough thingy or used a greeny scrubby and elbow grease on it. Always worked like a charm.

HTH
MaryT

Mary Thanks

I fondly remember my mother sprinkling salt on the butcher block each night. She would let it sit while she washed the dished and then used a wet dishcloth to rub the counters clean. Now, I don't know if there was a chemical reaction or an abrasive thing going on, but she swore that was the way to clean wood counters. Would love to know if others have tried this.

I worked in a large upscale restaurant in NYC that had an authentic butcher's block that was like a giant maple cube on legs. It was the work station of the head prep cook, who would not let anyone else work on it. He cleaned it at the end of each shift with coarse kosher salt and a wet scrub-brush, no soap.

Some claim that the salt absorbs the fat and oils in the wood that cause staining. I think that you need to let the salt sit on the wood overnight for this to work,

Usually, I just wipe mine down with a slightly damp paper towel unless I've spilled raw meat or eggs or something in which case I use a little Clorox Anywhere. I always make sure to go over it with a dry towel after cleaning it. My finish is pure tung oil, which seems to be quite the work horse. The other night, I marinated some chicken with the dark thick soy sauce in the marinade and accidentally splashed a few drops on the butcher block. I didn't notice until cleanup time after dinner and I just knew there would be a brown spot since it had been sitting for so long. Nope, nothing, nada - wiped right up with a damp paper towel. I've heard tung oil finishes are supposed to be redone every year or two, but it has been 5 months and nothing phases this countertop. It's my granite that I can't get the oil spots out of!

My mother has wooden counters (since 1985) and both she and I have always used Kosher salt on the wooden counters and big cutting boards. Wet them down, sprinkle heavily with salt and let sit and then rinse off. I have never known if it was an "old wives tale" or not but it was nice to hear other people do it also. This was not a nightly thing just every now and then

thanks, everyone!

Warm Soapy water and a sponge is all you need. Bacteria does not grow on wood at any temperature. The wood absorbs and kills it off. There are no tricks or gimmicks just plain and simple Warm Soapy Water then wipe dry with clean paper towel.

thebutcherblocktop