How to clean up an old chopping board

Wooden chopping boards are popular because their natural oils help prevent that harbouring of bacteria. However, overtime your chopping board can become scratched, and the natural oils will strip away with washing.

You can renew your old chopping board with this method:

1. Scrub your board with a scourer and hot water.

2. Once dry, sand down the board, using a fine grain if the board is only slightly damaged, and a course grain if the damage is bad. You should sand with the grain, not against it.

3. Once you cannot see any more scratches, use a very fine sandpaper to smooth the surface.

4. Wipe the board down with a wet cloth, then sand one more time with very fine sandpaper while the board is still wet.

5. Pour a little olive oil onto the board and rub in with a clean, lint-free cloth.

6. Once the surface of the board is covered, leave the oil to soak in for an hour, then apply another coat.

7. After another hour, use a clean, lint-free cloth to rub off any excess oil, and use a circular motion to polish your board.