Your wood cutting board should be always kept in dry condition especially if you are not using it in order to prolong its lifetime for a long period of time, If you are using the wood board for the first time, make sure that you season the board using mineral oil right until the mineral oil no longer soaks the surface of the board. After that, you have to wipe off any excess mineral oil by using a clean cloth. Season the wood board regularly and the most suitable ways for cleaning your wooden cutting board is by applying lemon juice over it. Lemon juice is considered as a natural bleach solution which is safe for usage and apart from cleaning the wood board, it also deodorize and bleach away any stains on the surface of the wood boards.
To look after your wood cutting board, you need:
- Coarse salt or baking soda
- Diluted bleach
- Liquid Dish Soap
- Clean Rags or towel
- Sponges
- Hot water
- Table salt
- Lemon wedge
- Abrasive antibacterial cleaner (for tough stain)
- Scouring pad
- Sandpaper (for severe stains)
- White vinegar or hydrogen peroxide
How to Look After Your Wood Cutting Board
Looking After Your Wood Cutting Board
- The first thing that you must make sure to do is to wipe your wooden cutting with a sponge. Dip the sponge into hot and soapy water as soon as you finished using the cutting board.
- Then, rinse the board completely. This will eliminates enough bacteria in order for the board to maintain its level of safety.
- Do not submerge your wooden cutting board into dishwater it because it will transfer pathogens into the wash water. The wood board has porous surface that can easily absorb water which in the end will split and warp the wood.
- Then, rinse the board completely. This will eliminates enough bacteria in order for the board to maintain its level of safety.
After cleaning your wood cutting board, make sure that you leave your wooden cutting board in a standing position and place it a dry condition.
- One way of removing stains is by using coarse salt or baking soda. You have to sprinkle the wood board with salt or baking soda. Then, scrub the stain off with a sponge or a brush that you have dipped into hot water. Repeat this process if you feel it is necessary to so
- If you want to sanitize the wooden cutting board, simply use diluted bleach especially when you are cutting raw meat, fish or poultry on your wood board.
- You only need a tablespoon of bleach that need to be mix along with 1 quart of water.
- Then, you can flood the board with this solution and allow it to stand for a few minutes.
- Next, rinse the cutting board using hot water.
- You only need a tablespoon of bleach that need to be mix along with 1 quart of water.
- For removing minor stains that you found on your wooden board, simply sprinkle some table salt on the affected surface before rubbing the area by using a lemon wedge.
- The mixture of salt and lemon wedge would be able to create an abrasive solution and remove the stubborn stains. You have to scrub the solution with a clean cloth.
- You will also encounter stubborn stains which is difficult to clean. If this is the case, you can allow the solution to sit on the affected surface for a few minutes before you start to scrub it. You will notice that it is much easier to remove the stain after that.
- The mixture of salt and lemon wedge would be able to create an abrasive solution and remove the stubborn stains. You have to scrub the solution with a clean cloth.
- There also tougher stain that you can get rid of by using an abrasive anti-bacterial cleaner along with scouring pads.
- Severe stains can also be removed with fine sandpaper. Simply rub the sandpaper on the board so that you would be able to remove the severe stains.
- The rubbing of sandpaper should be done along your wooden board’s grain. Once finished, you need to rinse the cutting board thoroughly.
- Make sure to disinfect the cutting board from bacteria by spraying undiluted white vinegar onto it and then allow it to dry completely.
- According to the Hospitality Institute of Technology and Management, once you wipe or spray wooden cutting board with white vinegar, the natural solution will help you remove any harmful bacteria that still remain within the board even after you have cleaned it. The white vinegar is also good for neutralizing any unpleasant odors coming from the wooden board.
- Apart from white vinegar, you can also make use of an undiluted solution of standard 3 percent hydrogen peroxide if you want to sanitize the board. You can apply the hydrogen peroxide using a cloth or paper towel before you can proceed to wipe the cutting board.
- According to the Hospitality Institute of Technology and Management, once you wipe or spray wooden cutting board with white vinegar, the natural solution will help you remove any harmful bacteria that still remain within the board even after you have cleaned it. The white vinegar is also good for neutralizing any unpleasant odors coming from the wooden board.
- Finally, take a clean towel for wiping off any excess water.
- Then, lean the wooden cutting board against your countertop and allow it dry evenly before storing it in a dry place.
- Then, lean the wooden cutting board against your countertop and allow it dry evenly before storing it in a dry place.
You can make the surface of your wooden cutting board look much sleeker by wiping the board with a small amount of an extra virgin olive oil onto your clean wooden board’s surface. It will also provide you with an extra coating that can assist you in protecting it from stains during future usage.
Always remember that whenever you want to clean your wooden cutting board,
- Always make an effort to clean the board as soon as you finished using it for sanitary purposes.
- You can also maintain the wood’s attractive appearance by using a food-safe mineral oil. This solution must be polished on the board’s surface.
- DO NOT clean the wood board with a dishwasher. Even though, it helps you sanitize the board but it will also severely damaged the board along the way.
- As for unpleasant odors produced by the wood board, you can rub some salt or use some baking soda over the surface. Leave it for a few minutes before wiping it off and rinse the board. Besides that, you can also squeeze half a lemon juice onto the board and rub it across the surface of the board for producing a natural and nice smell.
