[The BoardSMITH]

Can you use a wooden board for raw meats? Yes.

However, sanitation and proper cleaning is vital. Once raw meat has touched the board, wash it with warm water and dish washing detergent. Rinse thoroughly, dry and oil if necessary. (Don't do as one of my customers did, leave the board under hot running water for 5 minutes. WHAT a mess!)

To sanitize use a mild mixture of Clorox and water, the formula is on the back of the Clorox bottle, or use a 1:1 mixture of vinegar and water. Flush the cutting surface with water afterwards, dry and oil if necessary. Or as an alternative for boards that use raw meats exclusively, coat the surface with table salt and let it sit overnight. The salt will kill the bacteria and wick any moisture out of the board. This is what the old time butchers did and it is about the "greenest" solution I know of.

Bees wax is added to mineral oil as an extra water resistant element. (Not water proofing.) You can make a liquid wax solution or a paste wax depending on how much of a ratio that you use. Either will help provided you keep the board clean and oil all the surfaces, top, bottom and sides. The wax an oil mixture will only provide extra water resistance and will only slightly inhibit the natural tendency of end grain boards to wick moisture and bacteria inside the wood blocks. There the bacteria will die because they require moisture to live and the wood grain disperses the moisture away from them.

Oil, oil and wax, Clorox, vinegar, salt.....All great ways to help protect a wooden cutting surface, provide for adequate sanitation and prolong the live of another good kitchen tool. However, of you don't do anything, someone will become ill at sometime from your poor sanitation and the wooden board will be turned into an expensive piece of firewood.