The #1 Way to Take Care of Your Cutting Boards

Why Proper Care Matters

As a food writer, I’d be embarrassed to show you my current cutting boards. They’re stained, nicked, faded, and certainly “well-loved”—to say the least. They are workhorses in my kitchen, used for preparing nearly every meal, so it’s not surprising that they take a beating. But how do you go about keeping cutting boards looking like new?

According to the manufacturers I heard from, it all comes down to how you care for them. Specifically, you need to be washing and drying both wooden and plastic cutting boards correctly.

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Wood Versus Plastic Cutting Boards

Each kitchen should have two cutting boards: a wooden one and a plastic one. Wood cutting boards are ideal for fruits and vegetables, herbs, bread, and pastries, while plastic should be reserved for raw meat, poultry, and fish, as they are easier to disinfect. Plastic is also better for highly pigmented fruits or vegetables that could stain your board, like beets.

The USDA recommends having one board dedicated to meat, poultry, and fish and another for vegetables and breads to avoid cross-contamination.

How to Maintain Wood Cutting Boards

Rather than putting your wood cutting board in the dishwasher, we recommend using warm water and dish soap to hand-wash it, and washing it soon after using it. For a deeper clean, you can use salt or baking soda combined with half a lemon to naturally disinfect the board.

The acidity of the lemon combined with the baking soda can help cut through any grease or food buildup. Similarly, you can use baking soda and vinegar to fight tough stains, as well as salt and a lemon if you need to cut through more buildup.

Drying the board on its side is also key to avoiding any mold or mildew growth. Always be sure to stand the board up so all sides are drying.

Wooden boards also need to be oiled regularly to maintain their moisture and prevent cracking. A food-grade mineral oil or beeswax will keep the board hydrated, and we recommend oiling your board every few weeks, more often if it’s used more frequently in your kitchen.

How to Maintain Plastic Cutting Boards

Plastic cutting boards are generally easier to clean, as they can handle higher water temperatures and stronger chemicals without warping or discoloration. If you don’t have a dishwasher, use hot soapy water to clean your board. Once it’s washed, give it a rinse with clean water, and let it air-dry on its side.

Plastic cutting board manufacturer Oxo also recommends sanitizing plastic cutting boards after cutting raw meat on them. To do this, mix a solution of 1 gallon of water with 1 tablespoon of liquid chlorine bleach. Pour it over the cutting board, let it sit for a few minutes, then rinse with clean water and let it air-dry.

How to Restore a Cutting Board

As cutting boards are such workhorses in the kitchen, they’ll often get stained, sometimes harbor odors or just need a bit of restoration to look their best. A coarse salt scrub and half a lemon can be used on either wood or plastic to neutralize a stain. Baking soda and white vinegar can also get stains out, and hydrogen peroxide is best for the toughest stains.

With wood boards, use a fine-grit sandpaper to buff out any stubborn stains. Sunlight will also naturally bleach the board, so you could stand it on its side in the sunlight to dry to reduce the appearance of stains as well.

When it comes to nicks and scratches, this is actually a positive sign that your cutting board is softer than your knife, which means that the board isn’t damaging your blade. If they become too deep, though, it’s time to replace your board. Deep cuts, gouges, warping, or splinters all make it difficult to keep your board sanitized.

The Bottom Line

In order to keep your cutting boards looking like new, you have to make sure they are being washed and maintained properly. For wooden cutting boards, this means hand-washing with soap and warm water, as exposure to water that is too hot for too long will cause warping and cracking. Plastic cutting boards are more forgiving and can be washed in the dishwasher. Both need to dry on their side in order to avoid growing mold or mildew.

While it’s important to wash your cutting boards correctly, it’s also important to know when it’s time to replace them. Deep scratches, gouges, cracks, and splinters are all signs it’s time for a new wooden board, while gouges, stubborn stains, and smells are indicators you need a new plastic one.

Conclusion

By following the tips outlined in this article, you can keep your cutting boards looking like new and ensure they remain safe and hygienic for years to come.