Butcher block counter tops?

cjra said:

Does anyone have them? What do you think of them?

Are they a breeding ground for mold? (we live in a somewhat humid area
and already have mold problems elsewhere)
How do you keep them sanitized?

I'm seriously thinking about getting one for the island in my kitchen.
Lowe's offers real wood cutting board counter tops cut to your
specifications.

As to keeping it clean, I'd probably seal it with mineral oil
(Hahabogus says it's the thing), and then wipe it down with a mild
soap and bleach solution as needed.

Mold? I don't see why it would be a problem so long as the surface as
kept clean and dry.

modom

"Dallas is a rich man with a death wish in his eyes."
-- Jimmie Dale Gilmore

I had my brother-in-law (cabinetmaker) build one for me 30"x45" and
router a blood ring all the way around. He then cut a 3"x8" hole at one
in (where the blood ring empties into) for a drop into the waste
container. I just scrape clean with a large knife, wash with dishsoap
and scrubby, and apply vinegar wash. I could probably sanitize a little
better, but I don't worry about every little microscopic germ. I plan
on doing the rest of the countertops in butcher block. Besides
function, it looks great.

Greg said:

I had my brother-in-law (cabinetmaker) build one for me 30"x45" and
router a blood ring all the way around. He then cut a 3"x8" hole at one
in (where the blood ring empties into) for a drop into the waste
container. I just scrape clean with a large knife, wash with dishsoap
and scrubby, and apply vinegar wash. I could probably sanitize a little
better, but I don't worry about every little microscopic germ. I plan
on doing the rest of the countertops in butcher block. Besides
function, it looks great.

To sanitize *much* better, all you have to do is spray a little
peroxide along with the vinegar (from separate containers). Offers a
higher kill than bleach; no chlorine smell or residual taste..

Pastorio

Great. Thanks all. I'm not too worried about every little germ and hate
the anti-bacterial cleaners. But I'm paranoid about things like
salmonella and whatnot....

"cjra" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Great. Thanks all. I'm not too worried about every little germ and hate
the anti-bacterial cleaners. But I'm paranoid about things like
salmonella and whatnot....

Are you planning on using the countertops as a chopping block? I'd still
use cutting boards, especially
for meats. Just me.

nancy

"cjra" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Great. Thanks all. I'm not too worried about every little germ and hate
the anti-bacterial cleaners. But I'm paranoid about things like
salmonella and whatnot....

Are you planning on using the countertops as a chopping block? I'd still
use cutting boards, especially
for meats. Just me.

nancy

On Wed, 05 Jan 2005 15:15:50 -0500, "Bob (this one)" <[email hidden]>

Quoted message said:

Greg said:

I had my brother-in-law (cabinetmaker) build one for me 30"x45" and
router a blood ring all the way around. He then cut a 3"x8" hole at one
in (where the blood ring empties into) for a drop into the waste
container. I just scrape clean with a large knife, wash with dishsoap
and scrubby, and apply vinegar wash. I could probably sanitize a little
better, but I don't worry about every little microscopic germ. I plan
on doing the rest of the countertops in butcher block. Besides
function, it looks great.

To sanitize *much* better, all you have to do is spray a little
peroxide along with the vinegar (from separate containers). Offers a
higher kill than bleach; no chlorine smell or residual taste..

Pastorio

Duly noted. Thanks.

modom

"Dallas is a rich man with a death wish in his eyes."
-- Jimmie Dale Gilmore

No, I'd use a chopping block to actually cut meat. I guess I'm just
thinking that juices drip.... fall into cracks, etc. making it harder
to clean. But if the wood is entirely sealed, it shouldn't be an
issue.

Quoted message said:

To sanitize *much* better, all you have to do is spray a little peroxide
along with the vinegar (from separate containers). Offers a higher kill
than bleach; no chlorine smell or residual taste..

Would something like Oxi-Clean work for this as well (assuming you can get
some that doesn't have perfumes and stuff like that in it, I haven't
looked)? It seems like it would, if the free oxygen is what does the
sanitizing. I believe it uses sodium percarbonate, a lot like the One-Step
oxygen-based sanitizer that many people use for homebrewing. (I expect you
could use One-Step without any problems, and it would be a better choice if
you can't get the oxi-clean in a perfume/additive-free version, but it's
more expensive.)

-C

"cjra" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

No, I'd use a chopping block to actually cut meat. I guess I'm just
thinking that juices drip.... fall into cracks, etc. making it harder
to clean. But if the wood is entirely sealed, it shouldn't be an
issue.

(laugh) Well, that's a relief. I was thinking ... you're going to scratch
the living hell out
of those beautiful counters.

nancy

cjra said:

Does anyone have them? What do you think of them?

Are they a breeding ground for mold? (we live in a somewhat humid area
and already have mold problems elsewhere)
How do you keep them sanitized?

I remember watching "This Old House" a couple of years ago and Steve
Thomas was moaning about having put butcher block counter tops near
the sink. Might want to think about something else for that area.

--
Susan N.

"Moral indignation is in most cases two percent moral, 48 percent indignation, and 50 percent envy."
Vittorio De Sica, Italian movie director (1901-1974)

That's the beauty of thick butcher block. Mine must be 6 or 7 years
old. I carve turkeys and hams, pound swiss steaks, knead bread, roll
out pizza dough, you get the picture. That area has lots of little
knife marks and a few hot spots from setting down hot pans. But it
dosen't matter. When it really starts to bother me, a quick electric
sand across the top and re-oiling and I'll have brand new butcher
block.

Bob... a good tip about peroxide...probably foam like a bubble bath.
Buy Lobster Online
www.lobster-caviar-truffles.com

Chris De Young said:

Quoted message said:

To sanitize *much* better, all you have to do is spray a little
peroxide along with the vinegar (from separate containers). Offers a
higher kill than bleach; no chlorine smell or residual taste..

Would something like Oxi-Clean work for this as well (assuming you can
get some that doesn't have perfumes and stuff like that in it, I haven't
looked)? It seems like it would, if the free oxygen is what does the
sanitizing. I believe it uses sodium percarbonate, a lot like the
One-Step oxygen-based sanitizer that many people use for homebrewing.
(I expect you could use One-Step without any problems, and it would be a
better choice if you can't get the oxi-clean in a perfume/additive-free
version, but it's more expensive.)

I wouldn't. Products like that don't only rely on oxygen to get things
clean. They have other chemicals in them that are intended to dissolve
organics, like chlorine. Put a little on your finger and see if it
isn't slippery. Peroxide is just water with extra oxygen in it. And
it's cheap.

Be aware of the spelling differences below.

Here's the technical data sheet for *Oxyclean*:
<http://www.melrosechem.com/english/data_eng/hs0853.pdf>

*OxiClean* very pointedly avoids any mention of the kitchen.
<http://www.oxiclean.com/products.asp>
They say not to use it with wool, silk, leather... The only mention of
wood they make is about cleaning decks.

I'd stick with the peroxide and vinegar.

Pastorio

"Bob (this one)" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I wouldn't. Products like that don't only rely on oxygen to get things
clean. They have other chemicals in them that are intended to dissolve
organics, like chlorine. Put a little on your finger and see if it isn't
slippery. Peroxide is just water with extra oxygen in it. And it's cheap.

Compounds that make your skin feel slippery are usually alkalis. They
dissolve the surface of your skin, and form a kind of soap. If your skin
regenerated fast enough, you could wash yourself with yourself, (and a
little hydroxide). Bleach is a strong oxidizer, but it has the drawback of a
strong chlorine smell. Commercially available hydrogen peroxide is not as
strong as bleach (sodium hypochlorite), as an oxidizer, but combined with
thorough soap and water cleaning, it's effective enough.

Scott.