How to Clean a Wooden Cutting Board

The care guidelines for a wooden cutting board are unique to this type of material. Here's what you need to know.

First, clean your cutting board by hand with hot water and soap. To lower your risk of foodborne illnesses, it's important to sanitize this work surface next.

Sanitizing is more than cleaning; it's the process of decreasing how many microorganisms exist on a properly cleaned surface to a safe level. Sanitizing manually is simple. Just mix up a batch of diluted liquid chlorine bleach solution (one tablespoon of unscented bleach per one gallon of water). Apply the solution using a spray bottle or wiping it on the cutting board with a clean cloth. Let the cutting board sit with the solution on it for a few minutes, then rinse and dry.

White vinegar works as a sanitizer, too. Follow the same steps as above, but instead of covering the cutting board with bleach, apply white vinegar or a vinegar solution (one part vinegar to five parts water). For an extra step of precaution, wipe or spray on 3 percent hydrogen peroxide to the cutting board after you've rinsed off all the vinegar. Leave it on for about 10 minutes, then rinse and dry.

If you want to use a dishwasher to sanitize this kitchen tool, continue reading to find out how to use this machine correctly to avoid damaging your cutting board.