Wood countertops are beautiful, but they require maintenance. This usually means treating them with food-grade mineral oil. However, if you neglect the counter too long you may need to go the extra step of lightly sanding the counter to remove food and grease stains and other imperfections. See the photos for details.

If you look closely you can see food and and grease stains as well as general wear an tear on this cherrywood countertop.
I used my Festool Rolex sander to gently remove the imperfections.
After a treatment with mineral oil its true beauty is once again revealed.