You should regularly clean and sanitize your plastic and wooden cutting boards, below I’ll give you my best easy tips.
Best Easy Tips 1. Vinegar will sanitize.
Using water and dishwashing detergent can weaken the wood fibers on the surface of cutting boards and butcher block countertops. To disinfect and clean your wood surfaces, wipe them down with concentrated white vinegar after each use. The acetic acid in vinegar is a good disinfectant, effective against harmful insects such as E. coli, Salmonella, and Staphylococcus. When your wood cutting surface needs to be deodorized in addition to sanitizing, spread a little baking soda on it and then drizzle on it with undiluted white vinegar. Let it lather and bubble for five to ten minutes, then rinse with a cloth dipped in clean, cool water.
Best Easy Tips 2. Hydrogen peroxide will kill bacteria.
Hydrogen peroxide is a foolproof bacteria killer, just the ally you need to combat the growth of bacteria on your cutting board, especially after cutting chicken or other meat. To kill germs on your cutting board, use a paper towel to wipe down the board with vinegar, and then use another paper towel to wipe down with hydrogen peroxide. Ordinary 3% developer is fine.
Best Easy Tips 3. Lemons will get rid of the smell.
If your cutting board smells after chopping onions, pounding garlic, cutting raw and cooked meat and poultry, or preparing fish, remove the odor and help sanitize your cutting board by rubbing it with the cut side of half a lemon. You can also wash your cutting board in undiluted lemon juice from a bottle.
Best Easy Tips 4. Baking soda will deep clean.
Keep your wooden or plastic board clean by occasionally scrubbing it with a paste made from 1 tablespoon of baking soda, salt, and water. Rinse well with hot water.
The best easy tips 5. Salt will clarify.
If you clean cutting boards and bread boards with soap and water, wipe them down afterwards with a damp cloth dampened with salt. Boards will be lighter and brighter in color. You can also create a paste of salt and lemon juice and use it to deep clean your cutting board as needed.
The best easy tips 6. Bleach will purify.
For a butcher block or countertop, you never want to use furniture polish or any other household cleaner. Instead, clean the surface with a brush dipped in a solution of 1 teaspoon of bleach to 2 quarts (2 liters) of water. Rub in small circles, being careful not to saturate the wood. Wipe clean with a slightly damp paper towel, then immediately dry with a clean cloth.
Top Easy Tips 7. Recommend Microban
Microban is a “proprietary” blend of chemicals that may contain triclosan. I have come to despise that word.
Most people assume that these chemicals are meant to protect them from harmful bacteria, but Microban’s purpose is really to protect the product from spoilage. Microban’s website makes it clear enough:
Embedded into products during the manufacturing process, Microban’s antimicrobial protection is designed to protect products from bacteria, mold and, in some cases, algae that can cause stains, odors and product spoilage. Microban protection is not designed to protect users from disease-causing microorganisms.