I own a TOWLE cutting board and I need directions for use & care.?

Question:I know that I am supposed to use USP mineral oil for pretreating it, but I am not sure how much to use or how many times to apply it before I can use the cutting board. I also need to know how to clean it after use. Is soap and warm water sufficient?

Answers:
- Wood boards should never be placed in the dishwasher, or left immersed for long periods, as the wood or glue may be affected.
- A light food grade Mineral oil is a good preservative for wooden cutting boards as it helps keep water from seeping into the grain. Alternatively, one may also use a food grade drying oil such as poppyseed oil, tung oil or linseed oil. The first two dry much faster than linseed. Note that most commercially available linseed and tung oil are not “food grade” as they contain metallic driers. In general, edible savory vegetable or olive oils are not recommended because they tend to go rancid, causing the board to smell and your food to pick up the rancid taste.
- The amount of oil needed will depend on how big your board is.
- Cutting boards should be treated when they start looking dry to prevent cracking. A standard recommendation is 5-7 times a year, or as needed.
- When heavily or deeply scored, wood or plastic cutting boards should be resurfaced as scoring can harbor excessive bacteria, or mildew in the case of plastic boards. Wood can be easily resurfaced with various woodworking tools, such as scrapers or planes. Sandpaper is to be avoided however, as it leaves residual abrasives in the surface, which will dull knives.
- Never cut meat, poultry, or fish on a wood cutting board. Use it strictly for vegetables, bread, fruit, etc.
- A damp cloth after use should be sufficient.