While incredibly useful, and often attractive items, wooden cutting boards can become a haven for bacteria over time, especially if not cleaned properly on a regular basis.
With their porous surface and texture, wooden cutting boards can easily trap and develop bacteria within them, making it essential to know how to clean them properly to avoid spreading germs to you and other members of your household.
To help you sanitize your wooden cutting boards, here are a few handy hints:
Wash regularly
The dishwasher is the last place you want to put your wooden cutting board, as the high temperature will cause it to warp, crack and eventually break. Instead, wash the board in warm water with dish soap, and take care to scrub both sides thoroughly, along with the handle if it has one. Once thoroughly washed, pat it down with a towel and set it aside to dry completely.
This method should be followed after every use of the board.
To disinfect the board
It’s possible to disinfect your wooden cutting board without using bleach, and this method can be used after you’ve cleaned it using the method described above:
- Lay the board flat on a towel
- Pour 3% hydrogen peroxide evenly over the surface of the board and spread it around using a soft, clean sponge
- Leave the hydrogen peroxide to work its magic for around 5 minutes, in which time you’ll see it fizzing merrily away
- Then, rinse the board under hot water
- Repeat the process on the other side of the board
If you regularly cut and prepare meat on your wooden cutting board, you’d be advised to follow the above disinfecting method on a regular basis. Meat can leave a lot of bacteria on the board even after it has been washed, so it’s really important to follow this method and disinfect the board thoroughly before using it again.
Removing stains and deodorizing
Now that your board is clean and sanitized, you’ll want to make sure that any stains have been cleaned from the surface, and that it has been deodorized. Here’s how to do it:
- Take half a lemon and sprinkle some salt onto the surface of the board
- Rub the salt around the surface of the board using the lemon half, taking care to rub it in the direction of the woodgrain
- Leave the salt and lemon combination on the board’s surface for around 5 minutes
- Rinse the board well under warm water
- Do exactly the same process on the reverse side of the board until clean
- Leave the board to dry out properly overnight before using again
To prevent your wooden cutting board from turning into a paradise for harmful bacteria, follow the steps above on a regular basis.
