How often do you give your kitchen cutting board a good cleaning?

How often do you give your kitchen cutting board a good cleaning?

Cutting boards are an essential item in anyone’s kitchen in either wood or plastic.. But have you ever thought about how dirty those things can get? Especially during covid with all that cooking in the kitchen. After all, you use them to cut everything from vegetables to raw meat. Of course, you wash them after each use, but are you really getting them clean?

Here are some handy tips.

Salt and lemon…..If you have a wooden cutting board, you can use salt and lemon to clean it. Sprinkle salt over the board and then scrub over it with half of the lemon.

Vinegar…. If you have a wooden cutting board that needs to be disinfected, you can spray a vinegar/water mixture on it, followed by hydrogen peroxide. Gently rinse the board and let it air dry.

Bleach…..If you’re using a plastic cutting board, bleach is your best bet for a good clean. Fill your sink with hot water and add about 1/2 cup of bleach. Let the board sit in the bleach mixture for about 20 minutes before washing it with soap and water to get rid of any lingering bleach smell.

Baking soda….Does your cutting board smell? If so, pour on some baking soda and add enough water to make it into a paste. Rub the paste into the board. Rinse and dry it with a towel.

Dishwasher….Never put a wood cutting board in the dishwasher. The high temperature, prolonged contact with water and harsh soap will split, crack, warp the surface.

Microwave…..If you have a plastic cutting board and it’s small enough to fit in your microwave, you can use the microwave to disinfect the board. Wash the board with soap and water, rub it down with the cut side of a lemon and then toss it in the microwave for one minute.

Source: Jacinta M. Carter / Photo:Homedepot cleaning instruction