We surely want our kitchen stuff neat and clean. Especially, when it comes to the matter of cutting board. We can’t compromise a thing with it. Why? Because every time we prepare foods, we have to use this thing. It is certainly the most used kitchen tool and probably the favorite one. But how many of us can honestly say that we take good care of our cutting board?
The material of the cutting board is a personal choice whether it’s wood or plastic. But treating good with it, there’s no option. We have to know how to deal with it. Here, in this article, we will discuss how to treat a wooden cutting board. So, stay tuned and get awareness.
How to clean a wooden cutting board: Easy steps
With proper cleaning, oiling, and wash, we can take care of our wooden cutting board. Washing the board after every use, oiling it regularly, and sanitize it periodically, will keep it effective and durable. Here, we will demonstrate a few easy steps and guidance on it. There are two parts obviously. Cleaning and oiling. We will discuss it separately and start with the cleaning.
Washing:
Thankfully, a cutting board required a hand wash. There’s no need for any machine to wash it. Here, three entities you will need.
- Hot water. (Not too hot.)
- Ordinary dish soap.
Scrub the board with hot water. Wash it until no spot of food requires. Apply dish soap. If you want, you can use antibacterial soap as well. If you see any persistent mark of knife and food, scrub the spot a little more. Clean both sides of the board. After making sure there’s no sign of stains, rinse it with hot water. Use the sponge. Dry it with a towel or cloth. Then, you can keep it in an upright position after wash.
Cleaning with bleach:
If you cut raw meats or poultry on your cutting board, and you want it bacteria-free for the next use, you can clean it with bleach. All you have to do is take a spoon of bleach, pour it into a gallon of water. Then rub the board with it and wait five minutes. Then rinse the board and dry it off.
Cleaning with vinegar:
If you prefer not to use a chemical to clean your cutting board, then vinegar is a good choice. In fact, vinegar is enough for regular cleaning. Mix a few drops of white vinegar with water and scrub your cutting board with the mixture. Keep it for almost 3 or 4 minutes. Every time you do kind of stuff like this, you have to wait for a few minutes.
You can use a spray bottle of white vinegar. Whenever you cut raw meats, spray the board and scrub it with a sponge. It will assist the board to keep bacteria away.
Cleaning with lemon and salt:
Cleaning with lemon and salt every month will be a good treat for your cutting board. It will maintain a proper balance to keep it sanitized.
First, moisten the board with salt. Then cut a lemon in half and rub it throughout the board. Keep the board for approximately five minutes in this situation. Then rinse it with a sponge and dry it off.
Your cutting board will be clean as crystal and smell good.
Things to remember:
- Don’t sink the board in a pot full of water. Try to rinse it with hand side by side.
- Whatever method you use to clean the board, always remember to dry it with a towel or cloth. Don’t leave it wet.
How to oil and maintain a cutting board?
Oil once a month is enough for maintaining a safe and sound wooden cutting board. Always remember your cutting board has to be neat and clean before oiling.
Besides cleaning the cutting board with white vinegar and bleach, it requires oiling. At least once a month. Some people use mineral oil for their wooden cutting board. But whatever oil you use, it has to be food-grade material. Or you can formulate your favorite mixture of oil.
Things you need:
- Spoons and other utensils.
- Clean towel or cloth.
- Mineral oil or any other food-grade oil.
Instructions:
- Clean the wood: Before you start, you have to make sure the board is absolutely clean and dry. If you want, you can scrub it with lemon and salt as we mentioned above. As the board has to be dry before oiling, the moisture should be drifted away as soon as possible after rubbing with lemon. It’s all about your sense of timing.
- Apply the oil: After you get the board completely dry and clean, apply the oil. Rub the oil throughout the board and let it soak in.
- Let the oil soak in: It is also important to leave the oil to soak in for hours. You can rub the oil in the evening and wipe the board in the morning.
- Remove the excess: Don’t let a drop of extra oil stay on the cutting board. Use a towel to wipe it off. Otherwise, the board will be damp and sticky.
How to stop wooden chopping boards from smelling?
The smell from a chopping board is an irritating thing. We see many people use lemon to remove the smell. Yet, some people don’t like lemons scant. In this case, you have plenty of options to remove the smell from your wooden chopping board. Let’s discuss it.
Wash with hot soapy water:
Washing with hot soapy water is a good solution to remove the stinky smell. You have to wash the board after every use with soapy water. If you find it troublesome to do it every time after using, let’s peer at the next option.
Use baking soda:
Baking soda is a rigid solution for smelling. You have to make a paste of baking soda with water. Take ½ tablespoon baking soda and make a mixture. Rub the mixture all over the chopping board and sit for a while longer then rinse it and make it dry.
Rub with lime and salt:
Using lemon and salt to remove the smell from a chopping board is a popular method for many. The lemon is also effective to purify bacteria and it helps to make the board looks more beautiful.
Season your cutting board through coconut oil:
Using coconut oil reduces the smell totally from the chopping board. As you use the oil, you have to give it a few hours to soak up. To get a better result, season your chopping board regularly.
FAQ:
Q: What oil to use for the wooden chopping board?
A: Generally, there are some appropriate oils to use for the wooden chopping board. But, we prefer mineral oil. However, you can use coconut oil, beeswax, carnauba, etc. But whatever liquid you use, it should be food grade.
Q: Do wooden cutting boards hold bacteria?
A: According to a scientific study, scientists have discovered that 99.9% of the bacteria placed on the wooden chopping boards die completely within minutes. That means wooden cutting boards don’t hold bacteria, unlike plastic boards.
Final words:
As we discuss almost everything relevant to how to treat a wooden cutting board, we hope you’ll benefit from this article. A cutting board is a sensible tool in our kitchen. We need to keep it decent and clean. Making any mistake with it can cause us sickness. Therefore, it is very important to treat your wooden cutting board in a healthy manner.