Butcher blocks are an essential item for everyone's kitchen and Butchers Equipment Warehouse offers the best. We recently received a review on Trustpilot regarding our butcher blocks.

“We recently moved house and wanted a proper butcher's block on wheels. I thought that such an item was commonplace. Well, they are not.

"I live in North Yorkshire and quickly came to the conclusion that you can either buy something, not great by the way, from Fired Earth starting at well over two thousand pounds or have one made from scratch by a craftsman. Then by accident we came across the Butchers Equipment web site.

"And there it was. Solid, on wheels, stunning wood and perfect and for less than a third of the price of the relatively flimsy Fired Earth offering. Ordering could not have been easier and delivery was bang on time. A wonderful company. We are spreading the word in North Yorkshire ! Seriously, brilliant. Top quality.”

This customer is clearly very happy with their butcher block they received from Butchers Equipment Warehouse and now we want to go one step further. Here is how they can maintain the quality of their butcher block for decades to come.

First thing to remember about wood is that it is durable, but still needs to be refurnished and if you care for it properly, it can become the family heirloom that you can pass down through generations.

Cleanliness

The first and easiest way to maintain your block is to clean it after use every time. Stains can easily penetrate the wood and will remain as a reminder of neglect.

Clear away all the food waste and scrub the block using soap to get rid off any stubborn particles. Remember to dry away the excess moisture with a towel. This simple task will greatly prolong the durability of your butcher block.

A quick reminder to have a spray bottle of undiluted vinegar close by will help disinfect the block, making sure you don’t have any bacteria like E.coli or salmonella present for the next time you use it.

We recommend undiluted vinegar because stronger chemical cleaners can leave acrid residue on the surface, which can cause it to become unhealthy for use.

Banishing the stains

So you let the cleaning slip once… maybe it was a party and you were too busy hosting to have the time to clean the block. It now has a stain. How do you get rid of it?

There are a few different ways to getting rid of tough stains.

Organic option – Lemon

Using table salt and lemon is the most organic approach you can use. First you have to sprinkle the salt over the stain before slicing the lemon in half. Using the cut end of the lemon, rub the salt into the stain thoroughly. Leave it to set into the stain either all-day or overnight before cleaning it off with a damp sponge.

Draw it out with baking soda

Baking soda is used to draw the stain out of the wood. Cover the stain with the soda and work it into the wood before letting it stand for a few minutes. Following that, simply clean it off.

Last resort - Bleach it

This should be used as a last resort because it may discolour the wood. Mix equal parts water and bleach and using a sponge or rag, apply it to the stain. To achieve the best results, wring out the rag or sponge to ensure it is slightly damp.

If you have a particularly stubborn stain, let the bleach saturate overnight before wiping it clean. Once it has been clean, remember to spray it with vinegar to neutralise the bleach.

Quick Tip

After using baking soda or bleach, it’s best to reapply the finish to the block to maintain it.

Have a look at our maple butcher blocks today on our website.