How To Care For Olive Wood

As a child I spent many a weekend with my grandparents and if I wasn’t watching my grandfather in his woodworking shop, I was tackling chores with my grandmother. Of all the ‘to do’s’ she would assign over the years, polishing her silver is forever etched in my memory. Those early mornings sitting at her kitchen table, glass of sweet tea on one side, bowl of ketchup on the other and a mound of silverware in the middle taught me the value of buying quality items and the benefit of taking the time to care for them. Today, those same values still hold true when it comes to caring for my olive wood pieces. Over time olive wood can take on a paler, “dry” appearance and that’s the perfect opportunity to show those pieces a little bit of love.

 

What you’ll need:

• Food-grade mineral oil - I recommend doing a spot test on your skin before you use it just to make sure you’re not in any way allergic.
• Paper Towels
• Disposable gloves
• Bowl
• Olive wood items
• Plate (optional)

What you’ll do:

1. Begin by making sure each piece has been cleaned and dried. Remember, don’t put olive wood in the dishwasher or let it soak in water.  Hand wash with a mild soap and some water. Wipe off the excess water and allow it to finish by air drying.
2. Set up your “oiling station” in the configuration that works best for you. I typically put my paper towels, bowl of mineral oil and bottle of mineral oil on one side, olive wood in the center and a few paper towels laid out on the other side of me to serve as a “drying station”.
3. Put on your disposable gloves, get settled in and let’s go!!
4. Rub a light coating of mineral oil in small circles on each piece of your olive wood. Remember: the purpose is to preserve and maintain the beauty of the wood not recreate an ecological disaster in the Gulf of Mexico. Excessive amounts of oil will go to waste.
5. Place each coated piece on a paper towel or plate to allow to air dry. This should roughly take 1 to 2 hours depending on the size/quantity of olive wood.
6. Once dried, wipe away any remaining excess oil.

That’s it! Your olive wood should now show a richer more vibrant appearance and with occasional oiling remain a beautiful piece for many years to come.

 

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