health
Your cutting board may be dirtier than a toilet seat. Here’s how to properly clean it
Cutting boards are some of the germiest kitchen items. We asked a food safety professor for the best ways to clean one to prevent bacteria
TL;DR
- Cutting boards can be surprisingly germy, even dirtier than toilet seats.
- Most plastic, glass, composite, or stainless steel cutting boards can be washed in the dishwasher on the bottom rack for sanitization.
- Wooden cutting boards must be hand-washed; avoid dishwashers as they can cause warping and cracking.
- Regular dish soap and warm water are sufficient for most cleaning; antibacterial soaps offer little additional benefit.
- Sanitize cutting boards after preparing raw meat using a diluted bleach solution (1 tbsp bleach per quart of water) for 5-10 minutes.
- Dry cutting boards completely by storing them upright with adequate airflow.
- Replace cutting boards with deep grooves, severe warping, cracks, or persistent odors, as these can harbor microbes.