How to Care for a Cutting Board

Matthew McCulloch
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  1. Wash!
  2. Wooden boards and butcher blocks.
  3. Plastic cutting surfaces.
  4. Marble, glass, or other hard cutting surfaces.

Equipment

A good chopping/cutting board is an absolute kitchen essential. You may even require two- one for sweet and one for savouries, as a garlic flavoured mango is often difficult to stomach! As always, a much better range at much better value is available online.

Premier Housewares Chopping Board with Handle, 30 x 20 cm – Bamboo

How to Care for a Cutting Board

Knowing how to care for a cutting board properly can help ensure long life and lifelong service from a sturdy model. The following ‘how to’ provides guides to care for all types of board.

Photo Credit: Designlazy.com

Steps

1- Wash! Regular washing with soap and water after every use is ideal, no matter what your cutting board is made of.

2- Wooden boards and butcher blocks. Regular cleaning with soap and water is essential. For deep cleaning (monthly if you use your board every day) or if there are any lingering food odours, clean it with a light abrasive. We’ve suggested lemon and salt before, and baking soda or vinegar to follow. Scrub it down and then clean it with hot water and soap. Every year you should rub it down with a fine grit sandpaper to smooth out any nicks or edges, and rub in some walnut oil or mineral oil to moisten the wood, keep it soft, and help it keep its shine.

3- Plastic cutting surfaces. Regular cleaning with soap and water will do here as well. You really don’t need to do anything special with these.

4- Marble, glass, or other hard cutting surfaces. Soap and water will do the trick, and a bleach solution to sanitize. These surfaces can be really hard on your knives, so try and avoid spending money on them

Tips

Regular scrubbing is key, but with wood, it’s worth putting in the extra effort to make sure it lasts over the long term.

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