Wooden cutting boards are an indispensable tool in the kitchen. However, over time, wooden cutting boards can accumulate bacteria and dirt. Proper cleaning and care are essential to keeping it hygienic. Here are some simple yet effective methods. They will help you clean and care for your wooden cutting board. Here are the details on how to clean and care for a wooden cutting board at home.
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1 Remove food residue. Rinse cutting boards with warm water immediately after you prepare food. If there are any remaining food particles, wipe them away with a sponge. Some food stains may have been on the cutting board for several days and can be gently removed with a scraper.
2 Clean the wooden cutting board. Prepare a basin of warm water and add a few drops of dish soap into the water. Dip a sponge into the cleaning solution and wipe down both sides of the cutting board. Never soak cutting boards in dishwasher detergent or in the sink.
3 Remove stubborn stains. What should I do if there are still obvious stain marks on the cutting board after rinsing? Don’t worry, it’s time for the baking soda to come on board. Sprinkle baking soda evenly over the stain and rub with half a lemon. The combination of lemon and baking soda can lighten stains and also kill bacteria.
4 Rinse and dry. Rinse the cutting board in warm water. Wipe away water stains with a soft, dry cloth or paper towel, and place the cutting board upright on the counter.
How to remove the smell from wooden cutting boards?
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The wooden cutting board leaves a strong smell after we chop the garlic and onions. At this time, we can use lemon and coarse salt to remove the odor from the wooden cutting board.
1 Sprinkle a generous amount of kosher salt onto the surface of a cutting board. Make sure to cover the entire surface of the cutting board and that the salt is thick enough for the lemon juice to absorb.
2 Squeeze the lemon and spread the juice evenly on a cutting board covered with coarse salt. If there is not enough lemon juice, sprinkle a little water to mix. Kosher salt and lemon juice will form a paste.
3 Hold half a lemon and wipe the wooden cutting board. Let sit for 5 minutes.
4 After the paste on the cutting board dries, gently hang it off with a spatula.
5 Rinse the cutting board with warm water and dry it.
How to care for a wooden cutting board?
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1 Before you begin, make sure your wooden cutting board is clean.
2 Pour mineral oil onto a wooden cutting board. Use clean paper to spread oil evenly onto both sides of a wooden cutting board. Make sure every part is covered, including the edges.
3 Let the mineral oil sit on the wooden cutting board for three hours or more to ensure the wood fully absorbs the oil.
4 Wipe excess mineral oil from the surface of the wooden cutting board with a dry cloth. Then place the cutting board vertically until it dries completely.
How often should you clean a wooden cutting board?
It is recommended that wooden cutting boards be cleaned after each use. This helps prevent food residue and bacterial growth. If you handle raw meat, sanitize your wooden cutting board at least once a month. Mix chlorine bleach and water in a 1:10 ratio. Wipe the wooden cutting board with cleaning solution and then rinse it.