How to Clean, Remove Stains, Sanitize, and Store Your Cutting Board

By Susan M. Keenan

The kitchen cutting board gets a lot of use and this means that it gets a lot of exposure to bacteria. Proper cleaning of the cutting board is essential to your good health. Whether you use a wood or a plastic cutting board, you should clean and sanitize it after every use.

Cleaning the Cutting Board

After using the cutting board to slice, dice, or chop all kinds of neat goodies, use a metal scraper or spatula to scrape away any remaining bits and pieces of food. Throw the scrapings into the garbage disposal, garbage receptacle, or trash.

Scrub the board with hot, soapy water thoroughly. If your dishwasher reaches a temperature of at least 165°F, then you can probably place a high-density plastic cutting board into the dishwasher. Moreover, if your dishwasher has an antibacterial cycle, use it to wash the cutting board. Otherwise, scrub it by hand. Allow the board to air dry.

Removing Stains from the Cutting Board

If your cutting board has stains on it, you can use the following procedure in an attempt to remove the stains. Wet the stained area with water and sprinkle it with kosher salt. Sea salt can also be used for this. Allow the salt to sit undisturbed for twenty-four hours.

Rinse the salt from the cutting board with clean water. Using the kosher salt and clean water, create a paste. Use a clean nylon scrubbing sponge or a clean toothbrush to scour or scrub the paste on the stained area of the cutting board. Rinse the area clean with fresh water. Repeat the procedure to guarantee that you have removed all of the stain. Rinse the board clean. Scrub the cutting board with hot, soapy water and rinse with clean water. Allow it to air dry.

Sanitizing the Cutting Board

Plastic and wooden cutting boards can be sanitized using a diluted liquid chlorine bleach solution. For this solution, combine one teaspoon of bleach to one quart of water. Pour the solution onto the entire surface area of the board and allow it to sit undisturbed for several minutes. Rinse the board clean with water. Allow it to air dry or use a clean cloth to dry it.

If you prefer, you may use a vinegar solution in place of the bleach solution. Simply combine one part vinegar to five parts water. Use this solution in the same manner as the one explained for the bleach solution.

Storing the Cutting Board

Once the cutting board has completely dried, it is time to store it. Cutting boards should be stored vertically or in an upright position. This helps to avoid moisture from getting trapped underneath the board and the accumulation of dust or grime.

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