# Mineral spirits on cutting board help!



## Spnstewart315 (Dec 22, 2019)

Hi everyone! I’m new to cutting boards and have made my first end grain cutting board! I finished the cutting board using watco butcher block oil and finish.I followed the manufacturers instructions to the tee. However when the second coat dried, it left a sticky finish which was caused by residual oil that didn’t soak in (I think). I was reading posts about it and there first one I saw said to wipe everything down with mineral spirits. Not thinking through it, I excitedly applied it in small amounts on top of my finish, not thinking through the safety hazards of mineral spirits. I have wiped off as much as I could and have let it dry for 1 day. Have I just ruined my first cutting board or should it be okay to leave as is? Thanks for any help or comments! My name is Aaron btw.


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## difalkner (Nov 27, 2011)

Welcome to the forum, Aaron! Add your location to your profile so it shows in the side panel. Add your first name to your signature line and it will show in each post.

That's a nice look cutting board. I don't know that you ruined the board but I can't say for certain. We have made about 75 cutting boards and it's not uncommon to wipe them down with Naphtha before applying the mineral oil just to see what it's going to look like and to make certain no sanding scratches are showing. But that's before the mineral oil and Naphtha flashes off quickly, mineral spirits take longer. 

I think giving it a few days to air out and then reapplying your mineral oil finish should be ok but others may chime in with different info.

David


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## Spnstewart315 (Dec 22, 2019)

Thanks for the info! I’ll air it out a couple more days, then sand and recoat. I think I’m going to stick to plain old mineral oil in the future.


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## epicfail48 (Mar 27, 2014)

Mineral spirits are a fairly volatile solvent, and one that (provided its not adulterated with anything) flashes off without residue. Meaning, once the mineral spirits flash off, a process that shouldnt take too long, there should be nothing left thats harmful.

Long story short, youre fine, dont sweat it, just let it dry off


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## Tool Agnostic (Aug 13, 2017)

epicfail48 said:


> Mineral spirits are a fairly volatile solvent, and one that (provided its not adulterated with anything) flashes off without residue. Meaning, once the mineral spirits flash off, a process that shouldnt take too long, there should be nothing left thats harmful.
> 
> Long story short, youre fine, dont sweat it, just let it dry off


Residue was my concern, too. Can @epicfail48 or someone else cite an authoritative source that says that mineral spirits evaporate completely and leave zero residue? Keep in mind that mineral spirits come from distilled petroleum. (Yeah, so does mineral oil, but let's save that for a different thread.)

Mineral spirits are not one product, but a general category of blended petroleum byproducts that vary in their content. "Paint thinner" is less refined and has more of the short-chain, volatile (smelly) compounds. "Low odor" and "Odorless" mineral spirits are more refined, with longer-chain, less volatile (less smelly) compounds. 

I would like to see an authoritative source regarding residue from mineral spirits evaporation. On a hard surface that can be easily cleaned - no problem. On a porous surface that will come into direct contact with food that your loved ones eat - that would be a concern for me.


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## FrankC (Aug 24, 2012)

Some reading here:

https://www.thespruce.com/mineral-spirits-vs-paint-thinner-difference-4764584


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## velocipede (Jan 15, 2015)

I'm not qualified to comment on your use of mineral spirits, but I use Watco Butcher Block oil on all my end grain cutting boards and have not had this experience. It's very thin and often penetrates entirely through a board. After the first coat soaks in, I apply a second, allow to set for half an hour and then wipe the residual off. I let it set for a few days and then apply a paste made of beeswax and either Mahoney's Utility Finish (Walnut Oil), or Doctor's Woodshop Walnut finishing oil. I use the paste to refresh the board periodically to keep it looking nice.


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## mmwood_1 (Oct 24, 2007)

You can always wash it.


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## B Coll (Nov 2, 2019)

I agree, I believe the mineral spirits will flash of in a short time. Like what was said, I like mineral oil for my cutting board finish. Tr-apply as needed.


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