Storing a wooden cutting board: upright, flat or hanging?

A wooden cutting board is best stored upright and dry, so that air reaches both sides. Do not put it next to the cooker or on the radiator. Only put it away when it is completely dry.

How you store a board seems a detail. Yet most warped boards and musty smells do not arise during cutting, but in the hours afterwards. Wood that stays wet on one side or gets warm on one side starts to move.

Upright, flat or hanging

Upright is the best choice for most kitchens. Against the back wall of the worktop or in a rack, in a spot that stays dry.

After washing: how to put it away

1. Dry the board straight away with a cloth, on both sides and along the edges.
2. Stand it upright on a dry surface. Leaning against the wall is enough, as long as air can get behind it.
3. Let it dry completely. Feel the bottom edge: that is where the moisture stays longest.
4. Only then put it away in a cupboard or drawer, if you want to.

Places you had better avoid

• Next to the cooker. The heat dries out one side faster than the other.
• On or above the radiator. The wood dries too quickly and can crack.
• In the sink or on a wet worktop. The underside stays damp and starts to smell musty.
• Damp in a closed cupboard. Without air the board does not dry through.

If your board has warped all the same, you can read in Warped wooden cutting board how to put a slight warp right. If it smells musty, have a look at Wooden cutting board smells.

And a butcher block?

A butcher block 6 cm thick is heavy and often stays on the worktop. That is fine, if you first let it dry upright after washing. Only put it back when the underside is dry too, and wipe the worktop underneath dry.

Oil makes storing easier

A board that is oiled on all sides takes up less moisture and dries faster. So oil the edges and the underside too, twice a month. The rhythm is explained in Caring for a wooden cutting board and you will find the oil under care.