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