Tips on Cleaning Cutting Boards

Keep cutting boards clean to ensure food safety.

Cutting boards are useful tools that can be used just about every day for cutting fruit, vegetables and meat. Food preparation is made easier with the use of a cutting board. You must keep cutting boards clean and sanitized, however, to make sure you don't expose yourself to germs.

Everyday Cleaning

For gentle, everyday cleaning of a cutting board, use baking soda. Create a paste by mixing baking soda with water and salt. Use hot water and scrub the cutting board clean. Rinse the board clean and allow it to dry. You also can use regular liquid dish detergent and hot water to scrub a cutting board. For best results, allow the cutting board to air dry. These methods work best for cutting boards used for fruits and vegetables only.

Sanitizing

To sanitize a cutting board, especially after using it for raw meat, use bleach or vinegar to kill the germs left behind. Dilute 1 tsp. of bleach in 2 quarts of water and scrub the cutting board with the solution. Use a paper towel to gently dry the cutting board when you are done. Another option is vinegar. Use undiluted vinegar to scrub the cutting board, and rinse it clean with cold water.

Deodorizing

For a smelly cutting board, lemons can be used. Cut a lemon in half and use it to scrub the smell away from the cutting board. Sprinkle salt onto the cutting board before rubbing the lemon on it to provide some cleaning action for a dirty cutting board. Another option is to dilute a few drops of essential oil into a spray bottle of water and spray the cutting board with the solution. Polish the cutting board to a shine with mineral oil.

Plastic Cutting Boards

Plastic boards can be put into the dishwasher and cleaned. They also can be cleaned with warm water and liquid dish detergent. You can use the baking soda paste in Section 1 to clean a plastic cutting board. Do not use a wire scrubber on a plastic board, use a soft sponge or cloth instead. Hand dry the cutting board completely after cleaning.

References

• Reader's Digest: 6 Effective Ways To Clean Cutting Boards
• The Nest: How To Clean A Cutting Board

Resources

• Care 2: How To Clean Your Cutting Boards