Cleaning your Cutting Board
There’s a lot to love about wood cutting boards: They’re a pleasure to chop on and gentler on knife edges. And they’re far more beautiful than plastic ones. The only downside to wood is that it’s prone to warping and so requires more babying than plastic—wood must be hand-washed and oiled regularly. A warped board is a true tragedy in the kitchen. But by properly caring for your wood cutting board, you can help it avoid this fate so that it lasts for many years.
How long will it take?
Everyday cleaning usually takes only a minute or two, as do oiling and waxing the board (which you’ll need to do about once a month, depending on the type of wood and the climate you live in). But once the oil is applied, it will take several hours for it to absorb into the wood.
How to clean your board
Always hand-wash your wood cutting board. Never put a wood board or other wood items (like salad bowls and spoons) in the dishwasher or submerge them in a sink full of water because they’ll warp and/or crack.
If you can’t clean your board right after preparing food, just leave it on your counter until you can get to it. In some situations, you may not even need to wash it. If you’ve only sliced bread, just brush away the crumbs or wipe the surface clean with a damp cloth or paper towel.
If your board does need cleaning, first gently remove any stuck-on bits of food using a bench scraper or metal spatula. If there are any stubborn stains, you can create a slurry of baking soda and water and gently rub the mixture onto the board using a Scotch-Brite sponge.
Gently scrub your board with a sponge and hot, soapy water (we recommend using a mild unscented dish soap). It’s important to wash both sides of the board (even if you chopped on only one side) to prevent it from drying unevenly, which could cause the board to warp.
Rinse the board and dry it thoroughly with a clean dish towel or paper towels. Stand it upright on your counter, if it doesn’t have rubber feet to prevent any residual water from pooling, and let it air-dry completely before you store it.