Everything here is made to last. A bit of care and it will, for years.
Oak boards and tea light holders
- Washing Wash by hand with warm water and a little washing-up liquid. Give it a scrub, rinse, and dry it straight away with a towel. Don't leave it sitting in water, and stand it on its edge to dry so air gets to both sides.
- Never soak it, and never put it in the dishwasher. The heat and the long soak dry the wood out, warp it, and eventually crack it. Hand-washing takes thirty seconds and the board will thank you for it.
- Feeding the wood Every few weeks, or whenever the surface starts to look dry or pale, give it a re-oil. Your piece is finished with Rubio Monocoat, a hardwax oil, so top it up with a compatible hardwax maintenance oil (I use Osmo Top Oil, which sits happily over the Rubio finish) rather than a cooking oil, which goes rancid. Wipe a thin coat on with a cloth, work it in along the grain, leave it to soak in, then buff off any excess.
- Stains and smells For a stubborn stain or a lingering smell like garlic or onion, sprinkle over some coarse salt and rub it with half a lemon. Leave it a few minutes, then rinse and dry. The odd knife mark is the board earning its keep, and most marks fade with regular oiling.
- Where to keep it Somewhere dry with a bit of air around it. Standing up is ideal. Avoid leaving it flat on a damp worktop or shut in a cupboard where moisture gets trapped.
For the full routine, including a printable care card for your drawer, see the care guide on the journal: Coming soon
