Getting Goopy in the Kitchen

Spoon Oil: smeared on & working it's magic

In my lovely new kitchen there is a lovely wooden counter top.  It's beautiful, but it was also a little concerning:  It had no finish, and the sink is right in the middle of it, and I was worried about warping and cracking and mildew.  Also, I kept thinking about food-borne bacteria while I was cooking with raw meat.
Stains were a mild concern too, but we quickly decided that we like the stains.  It gives the kitchen that broken-in feeling that reminds us that, hello, we live and eat here.  Still, this counter needs something, but we didn't know what.

Until I was shopping for kitchen supplies, and I found some spoon oil in a little tube.  This reminded me of something I read on 3191.  Do you know it?  You should read it.  Add it to your RSS feed or bookmarks now.  I'll wait.
Okay, so in one post, Stephany describes how to make spoon oil, and mentions that she used it to finish her wooden counter top!  HELLO SOLUTION!

Mineral Oil and Beeswax

Spoon oil is a food-safe mixture of mineral oil and beeswax.  It conditions the wood, fights against warping and cracking, and repells moisture.  It's great for wooden utensils, bowls, cutting boards, and apparently counter tops.

I was too lazy to find a local beeswax source, so I ordered it from Ebert Honey.  I bought the mineral oil at the pharmacy.

BEFORE (with wine stain)

AFTER

I'm so pleased with the results.  The counter has a lovely honey color to it, and is so smooth.  The water beads right up off it.

This is a fun project!  I wish I could have taken a picture of how goopy my hands got.  I kept thinking how much kids would love helping spread the stuff around.

Things I would recommend:

• Use a jar with a wide enough mouth that you can get your hand in there.  I didn't do this, and needed a spoon.
• Take off your rings before you start the application process.
• If you're undertaking a big project (like a counter), you might want to consider putting on some clothes you don't mind getting slimed.
• Use paper towels when you're wiping down the surface, and be ready to use a lot of them.  Whatever you use to wipe the oil needs to be clean from wax, otherwise you're just spreading it around.  I started off with using a wash cloth, and I'm not sure if the goop will come out in the wash.
• Don't try to wash your hands when they're covered with the stuff.  Wipe off the excess with a paper towel, and then rub in any residue.  THEN you can wash your hands if you want.  They'll feel lovely and smooth.

Water beading off the oiled counter