i was given a wonderful old wooden dough bowl from my group friends for my birthday.can anyone tell me if there anything special i need to do to it to perserve it or just leave it alone and enjoy.thanks

I have an old birdseye maple bowl and I put a little olive oil or vegetable oil on it from time to time just so it won't dry out and crack. You've got nice friends!

The only vegetable oil that is recommended for wooden bowls is walnut oil as others will go rancid and may support bacterial growth. Other than that you could use food grade mineral oil or mineral oil mixed with beeswax.

I didn't know that. Glad you posted on it! I use my antique bowl to display antique papier mache fruit, so unless an unknowing person takes a chomp out of a piece of one of them, I guess I'm safe.

also be sure to keep it in a cool area of your home this will also prevent cracking and drying.
I use a light tung oil on mine.

ginger

I use mineral oil on mine. I give it a good oiling anytime it starts looking dry. It spent many, many years in the basement at my mother-in-law's house before she gave it to me. My husband couldn't believe the change in it the first time I oiled it. It's quite authentic...even has marks where rats have chewed on it. I love it!

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Roamer,

I use lemon oil on mine from time to time

Hey Ms or Mrs Lavender, I too have a very old handcarved wooden dough bowl. I found it in an old garage next to a home we bought back in the 70s.. sighs, sadly it had been left in the garage for over 100 yrs, the home was over 100 yrs old as well. As I was saying the bowl had been exposed to severe temp and weather changes for yrs and has a long crack in it.. I still love it anyway.. So be sure to oil it regularly. I have used veg. oil as well as I used to use it to put an arrangement of fresh veggies and a hulled out cabbage with home made green onion dip. Was great for buffet parties, and always got questioned about the bowl.. I dont entertain on a large scale now.. due to my health so I have paper machete (know that this spelling for paper machete is wrong even looked it up in dictionary but cant find it. lol hand painted vegetables, wouldnt dare tell hubby how much I paid for each piece of fruit or vegetables as these were made before you could buy them at any dollar store.. still think mine are more realistic and prettier, All the different colors next to the wooden bowl. You will alway find many uses for th bowl.. just dont treat it with an oil that cant be used for serving food if you plane to do so with yours Hugs, Russel Ann

as an antique dealer whenever i prep a bowl for sale i rub old english lemon oil on it.

What a lovely piece it must be. I was advised by my friend, an antique dealer that if you plan to put food into it that you only rub it with mineral oil. HTH

Ditto on the food grade mineral oils vs any lemon, olive, veg oils. Just yesterday on This Old House they were oiling a wooden counter top and the expert there said only MINERAL oil suitable for food - other oils go rancid and feed bacteria.