How to Clean Cutting Boards and Keep Them Bacteria Free
When possible have at least two cutting boards in the kitchen. One cutting board should be for meat only and the other cutting board should be used fruits and vegetables. Label the cutting boards so that they are not mixed up.
To clean plastic cutting boards, the dishwasher is the best tool. Simply run the plastic cutting board through the dishwasher and the hot water and dishwasher detergent will kill any harmful bacteria from meat or poultry.
To clean wooden cutting boards, do not use the dishwasher. Using a dishwasher to clean wooden cutting boards may damage the cutting board by warping it or tearing it apart. To clean wooden cutting boards, use a scrub brush. Place the cutting board in a sink of hot water and dish detergent. Scrub the cutting board well to remove any meat or poultry that has been left behind. The hot water and scrubbing will kill any bacteria left from the meat or poultry.
To sanitize a cutting board use one teaspoon of bleach mixed with one quart of water. Use a scrub brush to work the bleach and water solution into the cutting board. Do not rinse the bleach and water mixture off of the cutting board. Allow the cutting board to air dry so that the bleach and water mixture can do the work it needs to do to sanitize the cutting board.
If bleach is too harsh a chemical to consider using, try using vinegar. Simply wipe down the cutting board with straight vinegar to get the cutting board sanitized. Hydrogen peroxide is another way to clean cutting board without using bleach or antibacterial sprays.
Cleaning a cutting board is very important for health reasons. Sometimes a cutting board may not be able to be cleaned anymore. If a cutting board has deep grooves it is impossible to clean it well enough to be protected from harmful bacteria left behind by meat and poultry. Throw the cutting board away and get a new one.
Even if a clean cutting board is used each time, do not forget to clean the counter tops under and around the cutting board. Small pieces of meat and poultry may slip off of the cutting board. The juices from raw meat and poultry can splatter without evidence. Always wash the counter tops with hot, soapy water or an all-purpose cleaner that is safe for that particular type of counter top.
