How often do you thorougly clean your cutting board?

Shermie

Well-known member
Site Supporter
How often do any of you thoroughly clean your cutting board?

Last week, I ordered a slightly larger white cutting board from Amazon.com. It came yesterday. I knew what it was because of the box that it came in.

I unpacked it, but left the cellophane wrap on it. When I went to put it away where the other cutting boards are, I was totally shocked at how dirty, dingy and nasty looking that the old one was!!!

So I ran some hot water into the dishpan, added some bleach and dishwashing liquid to the pan. But because of the length of the cutting board, I soaked it half at a time, switching over to the other half & back now & then.

After soaking it over night, I was quite surprised that it came out nearly as clean as it was when it was new!!! I shutter to even THINK of all the germs, bacteria & pathogens that could've been on that thing!!!

Taught me a lesson though; To clean it periodically!! I was about to throw it away, but I thought about cleaning it first to see how clean it would get. Not quite as clean as the new one, but it is now a heck of a lot better than it was before!!!! :wow: :smile: :)
 

ChowderMan

Pizza Chef
Super Site Supporter
you might be over thinking the situation.

I have a thick wooden cutting board. since pre-1995.

I have a dough scraper. I scrape it off, I wash it off with a dish rag. it dries it sits on the counter full time. it has feet.

I cut vegetables, fish, meat, chicken, turkey, veal, ham, mix ground beef,,,, on it.
yes - all on the same board. horrors. can't imagine I have not yet died.

scrape, wash, dry, no problem.

there's hygiene, and there's hyperbole.
 

chocolate moose

New member
Super Site Supporter
I have about 10 and we wash them every single time we use them. In the dishwasher. Mine are plastic which are replaced every few months and glass which thankfully lives forever.
 

Adillo303

*****
Gold Site Supporter
I have two plastic (nylon) boards. They go in the dishwasher.

My wood board is 22" X 24" and about 2" thick. It is an end grain board of Purple heart and hard white maple.

It gets washed with soap and water, paper towel dried and every so often, rubbed with mineral oil.

Since I make and sell boards, I did a little research. It used to be that the plastic boards were thought to be safer. Some further research showed that the cut marks on these boards stay open and can indeed let bacteria grow. The dish washer or a soap and water wash or a wipe down with a vinegar and water solution should take care of that.

It was found that wood boards also get cut marks in wich "thingies" can lodge. Wood, however, moves and the cuts swell closed and the bacteria is suffocated.

I use my plastic boards for messy stuff and my wood board for everything else. I have no aversion to cutting meat on it.

Some boards to look at.

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Shermie

Well-known member
Site Supporter
I've washed it after each use, but over time, that was not enough.

It became stained and gross looking! It had come to the point where either I had to throw it away or bleach it. And since bleach kills just about all germs, bacteria & pathogens, I though that I'd try bleaching it first. Periodic washing in the dishwasher wasn't enough either, even though the main wash & final rinse are heated to 140 degrees! The germs were gone, but the stain was still there!!

It is still slightly yellow from years of use, but not as bad is it was before I soaked it in hot water & bleach!

I DO however, have a wooden cutting board, but I use that one only for cutting dry things, like bread. And I DON'T put that in the dishwasher because it will lose it's luster & shine and get ruined, especially if it has a veneer finish! :excl:
 

Adillo303

*****
Gold Site Supporter
Sherm, you, as master of your kitchen must be happy with your equipment that is the final answer.

I would not ever recommend a wood board in the dishwasher. It would most likely debond the glue. I do not use veneers or stain of any kind. I would not trust stain near my food and veneer will eventually peel.

Any color you see on my boards is the natural color of the species of wood used.
 

chocolate moose

New member
Super Site Supporter
Right, wood is great but you have to sand it down every so often. Maybe when my kids grow up, I'll go back to that. Doubtful, though; I'm pretty happy with glass.
 

bigjim

Mess Cook
Super Site Supporter
Right, wood is great but you have to sand it down every so often. Maybe when my kids grow up, I'll go back to that. Doubtful, though; I'm pretty happy with glass.

Why do you have to sand down wooden boards? Mine are years old, never been sanded since the original trip through the thickness sander.

I make my own, and a few for gifts.

I would never use a glass cutting board. While plastic is marginally better than glass, neither is particularly easy on knives. Wood, especially end grain, is way better for good knives, and I have good knives.
 

bigjim

Mess Cook
Super Site Supporter
I've washed it after each use, but over time, that was not enough.

It became stained and gross looking! It had come to the point where either I had to throw it away or bleach it. And since bleach kills just about all germs, bacteria & pathogens, I though that I'd try bleaching it first. Periodic washing in the dishwasher wasn't enough either, even though the main wash & final rinse are heated to 140 degrees! The germs were gone, but the stain was still there!!

It is still slightly yellow from years of use, but not as bad is it was before I soaked it in hot water & bleach!

I DO however, have a wooden cutting board, but I use that one only for cutting dry things, like bread. And I DON'T put that in the dishwasher because it will lose it's luster & shine and get ruined, especially if it has a veneer finish! :excl:

There is a huge difference between discolored and contaminated. Any board is going to discolor, but will not kill you. Running it through a dishwasher or dousing it with chlorine is a temporary fix, but the next time it's used, you have new bugs. Wood in theory kills bugs. My boards have never seen soap or disinfectant or dishwashers, so I suppose I will die of something sooner or later.

I agree with others, I think you are overthinking the issue.
 

ChowderMan

Pizza Chef
Super Site Supporter
don't you find glass is pretty hard on knife edges?

I have a no-name edge grain 20x15x1.75 inch - since the mid-1990's - and I've never found it necessary to sand it.

altho, I was checking about a month back - the flat blades were not cutting 'completely' - and it looks like I may have some "wear dips" - so it might be time. I rotated it 180 degrees; seems to have ducked that issue for another 20 years or so.

I'm a 'wood utensil' freak - so 3-4 months I break out the mineral oil / bees wax and slather all the utensils + boards. that's all the care my wood board(s) have ever gotten. I have three others / smaller / less used ones; plus a 'pig shape' board my uncle made for his sister aka my mother ca. 1953. I've retired it to 'display' status.

bamboo and glass are not knife edge friendly - plastic (UHMW-PE) is a decent alternative for non-brittle knife edges - but as Shermie notes, they stain - sometimes in excess - and as oil type stains can easily soak into the pristine white can be short lived. not that 'stained' is detrimental to their function or safety, as an oh-btw...
 

bigjim

Mess Cook
Super Site Supporter
don't you find glass is pretty hard on knife edges?

I have a no-name edge grain 20x15x1.75 inch - since the mid-1990's - and I've never found it necessary to sand it.

altho, I was checking about a month back - the flat blades were not cutting 'completely' - and it looks like I may have some "wear dips" - so it might be time. I rotated it 180 degrees; seems to have ducked that issue for another 20 years or so.

I'm a 'wood utensil' freak - so 3-4 months I break out the mineral oil / bees wax and slather all the utensils + boards. that's all the care my wood board(s) have ever gotten. I have three others / smaller / less used ones; plus a 'pig shape' board my uncle made for his sister aka my mother ca. 1953. I've retired it to 'display' status.

bamboo and glass are not knife edge friendly - plastic (UHMW-PE) is a decent alternative for non-brittle knife edges - but as Shermie notes, they stain - sometimes in excess - and as oil type stains can easily soak into the pristine white can be short lived. not that 'stained' is detrimental to their function or safety, as an oh-btw...

Glass is not only hard on knife edges, but can and is used to sharpen/hone knife blades. Bamboo is IMO among the worst. Bamboo itself is abrasive, and is only a filler for epoxy. Bamboo carries silicone along with nutrients up the stem. Some woods, notably teak and rosewood act similar to teak.
 

chocolate moose

New member
Super Site Supporter
I don't know, I thought you had to resand the wood every so often. As far as glass being hard on knives, I dunno. So far so good.

All I know is, once I use a plastic cutting board, it's ready for the garbage; with so many nicks and cuts in it. And I only replace them every few months so I guess it's a tradeoff between knife longevity and ingesting germs?
 

Leni

New member
I have a wooden board that I've had for years. It gets cleaned with a scrapper and hot water then dried after each use. A friend cleans hers with lemon and salt.

Adillo303 those boards are beautiful! Do you have a catalogue? I've love to have one of them.
 

Adillo303

*****
Gold Site Supporter
You could certainly sand a board if the cut marks bother you, otherwise the only reason I can think of would be as Chowder said, groups too deep.

On a long grain board, I tell people to cut on one side and flip it over for display. Thick edge grains usually have feet and you cannot do that.

Leni, I do not have a catalog or a website. My last show is Sunday and I am putting up a website over the winter. If you like I can send you pix of quote a few of mine and you could choose from that.
 

Saliha

Well-known member
I have a wooden board that I've had for years. It gets cleaned with a scrapper and hot water then dried after each use.

When I was studing in the cook school my teacher said that after washing wooden board by hot water, it should rinse with the cold water as cold water "close" the wood. Have you ever heard of same?
 

Adillo303

*****
Gold Site Supporter
I have not heard that particular idea Saliha. My experience its that water, hot or cold, will be absorbed by the wood and swell, choosing the poors.
 

Shermie

Well-known member
Site Supporter
Sherm, you, as master of your kitchen must be happy with your equipment that is the final answer.

I would not ever recommend a wood board in the dishwasher. It would most likely debond the glue. I do not use veneers or stain of any kind. I would not trust stain near my food and veneer will eventually peel.

Any color you see on my boards is the natural color of the species of wood used.


Thanks.

I just thought that I'd share this issue with everyone.

It just never dawned on me how dirty looking the old cutting board was until I got the new one, which looks pure-d white.

I also have a orange one as well. That one was obtained during the spring. It still looks fine other than the knife marks from cutting things. :clap:
 

Sass Muffin

Coffee Queen ☕
Gold Site Supporter
I have a heavy plastic cutting board.
It gets washed and scrubbed each time I use it, with the same water I wash my dishes in.
Dawn with a little bleach added.
 

Leni

New member
Leni, I do not have a catalog or a website. My last show is Sunday and I am putting up a website over the winter. If you like I can send you pix of quote a few of mine and you could choose from that.

Yes, I'd like that. What other things do you make?
 

Adillo303

*****
Gold Site Supporter
Pens, wet shaving razors and brushes, shaving mugs. Bottle stoppers, bracelet helpers.

For next year, I am adding ravioli rollers and possibly jewelery (wooden). Oh! , Hour glasses, drink coasters and bracelet helpers.
 

luvs

'lil Chef
Gold Site Supporter
between items i'm cutting. Chef said to use quats between items, (so as to avoid cross-contamination) tho i use soap & h2o, here, as i've not got a quats dispenser near me 24/7.
 

Shermie

Well-known member
Site Supporter
Before doing a stir fry, I get everything ready. All the veggies, herbs and then the meat. Stir frying requires fast high-heat cooking, as you all know. All the ingredients are added at a moment's notice, pretty much one after the other.

Afterwards, the cutting board gets immediately washed. And between washings, I usually spray the board with a little bit of Clorox Anywhere - a mild form of sanitizer that can be sprayed directly on cutting boards to help keep the germs & bacteria at bay while the cutting board is in use. :piesmiley1::eating2::bounce:
 
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