How to wash a wooden cutting board - Everything you need to know!

The properties of a wooden cutting board

The cutting board is a utensil that we all have in our kitchen and use every day. Among the various materials a cutting board can be made of (stone, metal, glass, plastic, etc.), wood has very specific characteristics that make it among the best materials for this purpose.

Ecological and reliable, wood has intrinsic antibacterial properties, has the ability to self-regenerate and is a hygroscopic material, meaning it can absorb and expel water based on various factors, such as the type of wood. In fact, only certain essences are suitable for becoming cutting boards, such as beech, oak, ash, olive, walnut, maple and rubber tree. Other softer essences absorb too much water.

How do you wash a wooden cutting board?

After this brief overview of the qualities of wood, let's get to the essence of the matter.

Good practices for cleaning a cutting board are:

1. Wash with warm (not boiling) water immediately after each use;
2. Dry the cutting board carefully;
3. Use neutral soaps (such as Marseille soap) to clean the surface and eliminate odors;
4. Often use protective wax to make the cutting board water-repellent.

How do you NOT wash a wooden cutting board?

1. Not in the dishwasher (abundant water and high temperatures damage it by creating cracks, breakages and glue failures);
2. Do not use bleach or chemicals that could permeate into the wood and subsequently contaminate food;
3. Do not use dish soaps or harsh detergents;
4. Don't leave it dirty for too long (especially if you are cutting raw foods);
5. Do not store it in a closed place if it is still damp

Some useful tips

Use at least two cutting boards, one for raw foods and one for all others. In this way the risk of contamination between foods is minimal. Another tip is to change your cutting board periodically, a maximum of every five years, especially if it is not professional.

In case you have a professional cutting board, proper maintenance is everything. Furthermore, by using oils and waxes, cracks caused by the knife are slightly repaired, making your cutting board last even longer.

All these considerations on cleaning and maintenance of cutting boards are only effective if the raw material is of high quality.

How long have you had your wooden cutting board? Do you know what essence it is made of?

We at InCut can give you a hand in choosing your next quality wooden cutting board.

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