After reading you may want to download this free printable DUSTING CHECKLIST to have fun DUSTING so you won’t forget a single spot!
Wooden cutting boards add such a fine touch of elegance to your kitchen. I just love my wooden cutting boards, they help to make me feel so much at home when I pull one out to make a nice meal. Or when my sister comes over and wants to prepare something for herself and her children I just say, use this one-popping out the wooden one with the beautiful streaks…. ya, it is a bit of a show-off but I do not mind because I like to give people good memories in a nice environment. Imagine if she was to see a shabby old cutting board with mildew stains all over and old particles of food in the groves not nice right?
I have found this method below, works well in removing stains, bacteria, and odors.
Fun facts: Studies from the Journal of food safety have shown that wooden cutting boards are more water retentive because of the Xylem tissues they contain. Bacteria can live longer in wooden cutting boards because they can support themselves from the xylem tissues of the plant-based surface. It is therefore recommended to use hot water to rinse so most of the bacteria will be killed.
Even if you have beetroot, carrot stains or any other vegetable or fruit stains, this strategy will help you to remove the stains and odors from your cutting board. Not only that- It kills harmful microorganisms making your cutting board safe to use once more.
What you will need….. Just three main ingredients!
1/4 Cup Baking soda
1/2 Cup Vinegar or 2 Limes or 1 lemon
4 tbsp Kosher Salt
1/2 Gallon Hot water!
The functionality of ingredients- What will these ingredients do?
The baking soda has natural properties that kill bacteria that cause scent/bad odors. It is a natural and safe cleaner that is even edible just like lime or lemon so it is most recommended for use in the kitchen if you want to stay away from harmful cleaning agents such as bleach. If you have a baby, cleaning with baking soda instead of other chemical cleaning agents will help to ensure the prevention of respiratory problems.
Baking soda also removes any tough stains and acts as a degreaser.
Vinegar, lemons, and limes are great for degreasing and disinfecting surfaces. They can be used together or separately with water as an all-purpose cleaning solution and surface sanitizer.
The Salt will kill bacteria by drying them out, it draws water out of bacteria through their cell membranes and this dehydration will prevent the chemical reactions they depend on to survive and reproduce.
How to use ingredients
First, rinse cutting board under cold running water to remove excess visible food particles. Place it flat on the counter and sprinkle kosher salt all over the used surface.
Sprinkle baking soda and put aside for about ten minutes so the baking soda and salt can do their work.
Wet the baking soda and salt with the liquid or liquids of your choice and let it fizz. You can use the cut lime or lemon to rub all over the surface. The Abrasiveness of the citrus fruit may help to remove any stain. It will also spread the other ingredients evenly set it aside for another ten mins. Then rinse with hot water and put to air dry by hanging or in a standing position.
Why you should not put your wooden cutting board in a dishwasher.
Most wooden cutting boards are either made up of glued up edge grain or end grain blocks of wood. The main reason you should never place a wooden board into your dishwasher is that the prolonged exposure to heat and water will cause your wooden cutting board to either twist bend or distort and crack.
