Wood Bleach on Food Surfaces?
I have a butcher block that I’ve bleached with wood bleach (the 2 part solution) and it looks great. I’ve neutralized and rinsed it well, and was about to finish it with mineral oil when it struck me — is this stuff going to be too toxic on a food surface? I mean, will it…
I have a butcher block that I’ve bleached with wood bleach (the 2 part solution) and it looks great. I’ve neutralized and rinsed it well, and was about to finish it with mineral oil when it struck me — is this stuff going to be too toxic on a food surface? I mean, will it linger and get into my food? I can’t seem to find any answers on the box or the internet, so I’m pleading for brownstoner assistance. I assume it’s fine since I haven’t seen anything to the contrary, and I’ve rinsed it well, but I’m still concerned . . .
Help!
Thanks so much!
I may be sticking my neck out here, but I am guessing that, as others say, once bleach is neutralized, it is ok. That’s a guess; we put it in swimming pools in a much more potent form and so long as we neutralize it with acid, its ok to swim in.
My real reason for writing is to say that we have been using the butcher block oil from Ikea and are extremely pleased with it. I’ve used the salad bowl finish and every other kind of finish, and for food prep surfaces, think this stuff is great.
Steve
The generic branded, inexpensive mineral oils that you buy at the pharmacy are exactly the same as the high priced food grade mineral oils you buy elsewhere at a higher price. The stuff you buy at the pharmacy is meant to be used as a laxative and is perfectly safe for human consumption and therefore for treating food prep surfaces.
Many, many thanks!!! This is super helpful. Yaay for brownstoner forum!
Oooh, were you asking if mineral oil is safe? The type that you purchase at the pharmacy is intended to be taken internally- so yes. Also, finish and woodworking suppliers sell “salad bowl oil” which is a blend.
There are three types of wood “bleach” that are used to lighten wood. The two part (A/B) that I use is a peroxide type “bleach”(sodium hydroxide and hydrogen peroxide). Both of which are fairly inert, they only work when mixed together (for a few hours to oxidize) then become inert again. I use vinegar to neutralize the wood after bleaching. It is not toxic.
If you are using a chlorine or oxaliac(?) acid- that is another story. Chlorine can be residual and the acid may cause off-gassing, but it is probably most dangerous during application.
Use FOOD GRADE mineral oil, which can be found in good hardware stores.
Personally I don’t think it would hurt the food, after all bleach was used for years by slightly dishonest food purveyors to prolong the lives of things like chickens.
Especially after you’ve ‘neutralized’ it.
Having said that, in the future I wouldn’t use chemicals on a food prep surface for solely esthetic reasons, why take a risk, especially if you plan to seal the wood afterwards.