How to Clean a Wooden Cutting Board

Knowing how to clean a wooden cutting board is essential for keeping it germ-free and for general food safety. Through everyday use, little cuts and grooves develop in the board, providing a breeding ground for bacteria. This can create cross-contamination when using the board for poultry, fish, and vegetables. Follow the steps below for cleaning and maintaining a wooden cutting board and help stop the spread of germs in the kitchen.

How Often to Clean a Wooden Cutting Board

You should wash your wooden cutting board after every use. Then, every month, deep clean, disinfect, and oil the board to help with long-term maintenance. If used frequently, you may want to disinfect and oil it every couple of weeks. However, if you are using your cutting board to cut bread, slice a lemon, or assemble a sandwich, there is no need to rinse it. Just sweep away the crumbs and make sure there is no moisture left on it.

Considerations Before You Get Started

After you use your cutting board, wipe it of debris and crumbs and set it off to the side. Do not let it soak in the sink until you are ready to clean it. When sanitizing your wooden cutting board, you can opt to use baking soda, distilled white vinegar, or hydrogen peroxide.

How to Clean a Wooden Cutting Board With Dishwashing Liquid

Never put a wooden cutting board in the dishwasher since water can cause the board to crack and warp. Those little cracks become breeding grounds for bacteria that can potentially cause foodborne illnesses. Instead, wash the board by hand after every single use, following the steps below.

What You Need:

• Dish soap
• Sponge or dish brush
• Cloth or paper towels

Step 1: Wash the Board

After discarding any food scraps on the board, rinse the board with hot water. Then, apply dish soap and scrub with a sponge or dish brush. If you notice any knife marks, scratches, or inconsistencies in the wood, scrub those areas well to avoid bacteria.

Step 2: Clean Both Sides

Properly clean and scrub both sides of a wooden cutting board, even if only one side was used to cut on. (Meat juices can drip and contaminate the other side.) If there's a handle on the board, wash that as well.

Step 3: Rinse and Dry

Rinse both sides of the board with warm water. Then, use a clean cloth or paper towel to dry it. Let the board completely air-dry before putting it away.

How to Clean a Wooden Cutting Board With Bleach

If the cutting board is used to cut raw poultry or meat, cleaning it with bleach will help kill bacteria on the board. First, clean the board with dish soap (following the steps above), then take these additional steps to sanitize it.

What You Need:

• Sink or large tub
• Chlorine bleach
• Dish soap
• Cloth or paper towels

Step 1: Wash Board

Rinse the board with hot water. Then, apply dish soap and scrub with a sponge or dish brush.

Step 2: Create a Bleach Solution

Add 1 tablespoon of chlorine bleach to 1 gallon of water in a sink or large tub.

Step 3: Soak Board

Either submerge the board in the bleach solution or soak the entire surface of the board with the mix. The key is to let the bleach solution work for 2 to 3 minutes so that it has time to kill the bacteria on the board.

Step 4: Rinse and Dry

Wash the board once more with warm water and dish soap to remove any lingering bleach odor. Rinse the board thoroughly, then dry it with a cloth or paper towel. Let the board completely air-dry before putting it away.

How to Clean a Wooden Cutting Board With Lemon

Cleaning wooden cutting boards with lemon and salt once per month is a great way to help maintain them. Follow these steps to clean with lemon.

What You Need:

• Salt
• Lemon
• Cloth or paper towels

Step 1: Scrub Board

• Sprinkle the board with coarse salt, like sea salt or kosher salt.
• Cut a lemon in half.
• Rub the lemon cut-side-down over the salt on the board, scrubbing in small circles, following the direction of the grain.

Step 2: Let Solution Sink In

Allow the salt and lemon solution to sit on the board for about 5 minutes.

Step 3: Rinse and Dry

Rinse the board thoroughly, making sure all of the salt is removed, then dry it with a cloth or paper towel. Completely air-dry the board before storing it.

How to Keep Your Wooden Cutting Board Clean Longer

To help your wooden cutting board stay clean long-term, follow these tips:

• Don't put a wooden cutting board in the dishwasher, and avoid soaking the board in water for more than a few minutes.
• To avoid cross-contamination, designate separate cutting boards for different tasks—one for preparing meat, another for vegetables, and another for fish.
• Dry the board after washing to help prevent cracks in the wood.
• Look for boards made from maple, a tough, closed-grain wood.
• If your board is overly worn or has hard-to-clean grooves, discard it.
• Once completely dried, store the board properly (upright is best) to avoid it from getting warped or damaged.
• Repair cracks and splits as soon as they happen with sandpaper and a bit of wood glue.

Seasonal Upkeep

To avoid cracking, dryness, and warping of your wooden cutting board, season, or oil the board once a month. Apply cutting board oil or food-grade mineral oil (not olive or avocado oil) to the board using a paper towel or clean cloth.

Buff the oil into the board, making sure to coat every surface. Let the oil soak into the board for a few hours or overnight, then wipe away any excess oil from the surface.