How to clean cutting boards and wooden tools: DIY remedies to clean them properly

Proper cleaning of cutting boards and wooden tools is important to avoid the proliferation of germs and bacteria. To do this, it is good to use natural remedies for a safe and effective cleaning.

Cutting boards and wooden tools are widely used in the kitchen every day, and they are often preferred to those made of plastic that are less resistant, especially to heat, and less durable. However, if we want our wooden tools to last for a longer time, we must clean them after each use, and perform a deep cleaning at least once a month as the wood is a porous material: for this reason it is better to avoid the use of chemicals and instead rely on safe do-it-yourself remedies. Lemon, sodium bicarbonate, salt are some of the ingredients we can use to clean and sanitize cutting boards, wooden ladles and wooden spoons, avoiding the proliferation of germs and bacteria, especially after cutting fresh meat but also fruit and vegetables. But let's see how to effectively clean cutting boards and wooden tools.

How to properly clean cutting boards and wooden tools

If we want that our cutting boards and wooden utensils last longer, they must be cleaned with care and attention. Food and dirt residues must be removed after each use to prevent them from penetrating inside, especially through scratches caused by the use of the knife, and to prevent stains from forming. Here are some do-it-yourself remedies to use.

1. Warm water and Marseille soap for a gentle wash

After each use of cutting boards and wooden tools, we can perform a gentle wash using warm water and Marseille soap or another ecological dishwashing detergent. Use a soft sponge and carefully rub each tool, then rinse well with warm water and dry first with a dry cloth and then let it dry in the air, better if in the sun as it has also a disinfectant power. To avoid the formation of mold, let them dry in a vertical position.

2. Sodium bicarbonate and lemon for deep cleaning

At least once a month, deeper cleaning of cutting boards, wooden spoons and wooden ladles should be carried out using two very effective grandmother's remedies: sodium bicarbonate and lemon. Pour the bicarbonate on the cutting board or the wooden utensil to be cleaned, cut a lemon in two and rub one half of it on the cutting board, let it work for a few minutes and then rinse under running water before allowing it to dry in the air dry. You can also create a solution with sodium bicarbonate and lemon juice, and then rub the kitchen wooden utensils with a clean sponge or a brush, like those used for cleaning dishes.

3. Salt and lemon to eliminate odors and food residues

This method is particularly suitable for cutting boards, as it helps to eliminate the residues that can be found into the scratches caused by the knife blades we use to cut food. It also helps to remove grease and bad smells left by food. Sprinkle the surface of the cutting board with salt and rub with half  lemon or also just the peel. Then rinse with hot water and then use a dry cloth to dry the cutting board and then put it in the sun in a vertical position. This way you will eliminate any food residue as well as thoroughly clean the cutting board.

4. Vinegar to disinfect wooden utensils after each use

For the cleaning of cutting boards, wooden ladles and wooden spoons, in addition to the methods described above, you can use a specific remedy to sanitize and disinfect them after each use. Take a clean sponge and wet it with white vinegar, pass it over the entire surface of the utensils insisting on the dirtiest arts. Occasionally, wet the sponge with hot water but avoid keeping the wooden utensils for too long in the water to prevent the wood from being ruined and swollen. Rinse them and let them dry in the air in a vertical position. Store them only when they are completely dry.

Alternatively you can spray the vinegar directly on the wooden utensils leaving it to act for at least 20 minutes, and then rinsing with warm water.

5. Flaxseed oil to polish them

To make our wooden kitchen utensils last longer, especially those with a shiny surface, after washing them we can polish them naturally using flaxseed oil which will also help to eliminate small scratches: apply a few drops to the surface to be polished and rub it with a dry sponge. Let the oil absorb and then put away your tools which will be like new and ready for another use. Do this at least every two months.

What to avoid to clean cutting boards and kitchen wooden tools

Cutting boards and kitchen wooden tools should be washed preferably with natural remedies without resorting to chemical detergents or even to the dishwasher. All this because wood is a porous material and it could absorb chemical detergents during washing: harmful substances would then settle on our tools. In the dishwasher, prolonged contact with water could ruin the wood, which would tend to swell and become damaged in a short time.