The Best Way To Clean a Wooden Cutting Board

There are two main types of cutting boards: plastic and wood. Each has its own benefits, but wood is always a popular choice both for aesthetic reasons and because it's gentle on knives. Unlike plastic cutting boards, wooden ones are usually larger, more substantial and should not be cleaned in a dishwasher. While there are different methods for cleaning a wooden cutting board, the best one also happens to be the simplest: just use soap and water. But there's more to keeping your cutting board looking like new than just washing it.

Why It's Important to Clean Your Boards

When you use a cutting board to cut, chop or slice food, small particles of food are left behind, along with any juices or liquids produced by chopping. Cleaning the board helps ensure that the juices or particles of one food do not end up in a different food.

Moreover, meats and poultry deposit bacteria on the cutting board, which can then be transferred to other foods such as lettuce or fruits that are typically eaten raw. This is called cross contamination, one of the leading causes of food poisoning.

Finally, keeping your cutting boards clean will help them last longer and prevent undesirable stains and odors. 

How Often Should Cutting Boards Be Cleaned, Sanitized, and Oiled?

Wooden cutting boards should be washed with soap and water after each time you use them. Oiling or waxing, which helps preserve the board and keep it from absorbing liquids, should be done once a month. Sanitizing as a separate step isn't really necessary with wooden cutting boards, as washing with soap and water is sufficient to kill or wash away any bacteria.  

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Cleaning With Dish Soap

Washing with dish soap and hot water is the best everyday method for cleaning your wooden cutting boards. Wash both sides, using a soft scrubber or brush to remove any dried on food particles, then rinse, wipe away excess water with a clean dish towel and then air dry.  

Don't let your wooden board soak in the sink for any length of time, and don't send it through the dishwasher, as both of these practices can cause it to warp. 

Cleaning With Bleach

You should not use bleach on a wooden cutting board, as it will discolor the wood as well as dry it out, which can potentially lead to cracking. It's not entirely clear where this idea even came from, since bleach is not something that is typically used for cleaning any other kitchen utensils. After all, a cutting board cleaned with bleach is going to smell like bleach, and that smell is going to be transferred to whatever food comes into contact with that board. If you're looking to sanitize a cutting board, soap and water are your best bet.

Cleaning With Vinegar

Provided you are washing your cutting board properly and letting it air dry, you shouldn't need to use vinegar to clean it. But sometimes, despite your best efforts, a wooden cutting board can take on unpleasant odors, especially if you've been using to cut foods with strong smells like onions or garlic. If so, a light spray with diluted white vinegar (use equal parts vinegar and water) can help to deodorize it. Spray it on and let it air dry without wiping it off.

Cleaning With Lemon and Salt

Another way to remove odors is to sprinkle it with kosher salt, squeeze the juice of a lemon onto the salt, and use the cut lemon to rub the salt and juice together to form a paste. Let the mixture dry overnight, then scrape off using a spatula or bench scraper. A paste of baking soda and water utilized in this same way can also remove odors as well as stains.

Maintaining Wooden Cutting Boards

If you want to go beyond basic cleaning and try to tackle some simple maintenance, you could oil or wax your cutting board. Be sure to use a food-grade mineral oil or beeswax for this, and follow the instructions for whatever oil or wax you're using. 

The benefits of waxing or oiling are that it prevents odors and moisture from soaking into the wood, which helps keep it clean, and helps to extend its life as well. It also makes your cutting board look beautiful, as boards that are repeatedly washed and dried tend to become dehydrated.

Some enthusiasts will even go so far as to sand their cutting boards, which can help remove nicks and gouges that develop over time. Smoothing out the surface also helps keep a cutting board clean.