You might think throwing your wood cutting board in the dishwasher is enough to clean it up. Well, it actually doesn’t clean the board since it needs different treatments than the average plastic cutting board.
Wiping down after each use can surely help, but you need to deep-clean it to make it look adorable and feel comfortable to use. The tutorial on How to Clean Wood Cutting Board below will show you how to get the job done in no time.
How to Clean Wood Cutting Board
Prepare these supplies
- Hot water
- Liquid dish soap
- White vinegar
- Mineral oil
- Coarse salt
- Sponge
- Bench scraper
- Stiff bristle brush
- Paper towels
Follow these steps
Quick clean the surface
Before we start deep-cleaning the wooden cutting board, we need to clean its surface first. Here’s what you can do:
- Clean up any loose dirt like those crumbs from the board.
- Soak a clean sponge in the mixture of warm water and dish soap, then scrub the entire surface.
- Remove the residue of the cleaning solution with the bench scraper.
- Repeat the step on the other side of the board.
Scour the surface
Next, you can start removing the stuck-on crumbs and stains that you can’t remove in the first step. Here’s what you can do:
- Sprinkle the coarse salt onto the surface of the cutting board.
- Soak your brush in warm water and clean the visible stains. You might need to give some elbow grease to the affected areas.
- Rinse the dirt with a clean damp sponge.
Disinfect the board
It’s actually important to disinfect the bacteria and germs that may habitat your cutting board. They are, of course, nasty and can create an unpleasant smell.
Here’s what you can do:
- Soak a clean sponge in white vinegar.
- Wipe the surface of your cutting board with the soaked sponge.
- Clean the residue with a bench scraper.
- Let the board dry completely.
Protect the board
Mineral oil can help to protect your wood cutting board in the long run. It works by preventing the water to damage the wood.
Here’s what you can do:
- Make sure that your cutting board is completely dry before you apply the oil.
- Rub the mineral oil on the surface of the board with a paper towel. You can also use another food-safe oil to protect the board.
- Let the wood absorb the oil overnight.
- Clean the oil residue the next day with a clean paper towel.
(Read also: How to Deep-Clean Window Screen All by Yourself)
How often should you deep-clean your wood cutting board?
The answer actually depends on how often you use it. If you tend to cut things on the board almost every day, you can consider deep-cleaning the board once a month. A seasonal deep-cleaning should be enough if you just use the board on a weekly basis.
The key to keeping your wood maintenance in a good condition is to always wipe it down after each use. It may take some minutes to do so, but it can maintain your wood cutting board very well.
