Wood cutting boards are pretty durable, but sometimes you may notice water stains. This can easily happen when you use it to slice up a tomato and let the leftover seed goo linger too long — or if the kiddos have submerged it in water when they cleaned it. While the water stains aren’t harmful, they aren’t pretty either. Enter the unsuspecting water stain remover: mayonnaise. This condiment can be used for more than making a rich Texas cake or your favorite ranch dressing.
Mayo can get rid of those stains simply by smearing a coat of this thick sandwich spread onto your board, covering the water stain. Depending on how stubborn the stain is, you probably want to let it sit for anywhere from a few hours to overnight. This will allow the oils from mayo to soak into the wood. When you are ready, clean off the mayo with a soft, dry cloth, and buff out any remaining residue. At this point, you can wash your cutting board if you want to; however, it isn’t necessary.
How does it work?
Why does mayo work on these water stains? Comprised of ingredients like oil, an egg, lemon juice, and vinegar, the combo of the acid and oily ingredients work their magic so when you rub it on your wood cutting board, it helps to penetrate and moisturize the wood, lifting the water. If you don’t have any mayo in your pantry, you can mix some vinegar and olive oil and use it the same way.
Of course, while mayo is effective at getting rid of these types of stains, if you have hard water, this condiment may not be able to rid them completely. It also might not be able to remove water stains that are months or years old. If you are worried about trying this method, fearing that it might stain your board even further, you can always test a small spot before going all in.
