Old butcher told me to stop washing my cutting boards with soap... he was right?

I had this old timer come into the shop last month and he watched me scrub down my board with soap and hot water. He pulled me aside and said I was killing the wood and ruining the seasoning... something about how soap soaks in and leaves a film. I switched to just scraping and using salt and a damp rag for the past 3 weeks. The board feels different, almost smoother... has anyone else gotten this kind of advice and actually stuck with it?

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1 Comment

harper_gibson215h ago

And how's the board looking after those three weeks? Is it drying out at all or cracking along the ends? Because that's the real test with skipping soap, not just the feel. I've seen guys go all in on the salt scrub method and end up with boards splitting because they didn't get the moisture balance right. The old school advice works up to a point, but wood still needs a good rinse to keep the fibers from getting too dry. Did the old timer give you any tips on oiling it after that salt treatment?