Cutting boards carry more bacteria per square inch than most surfaces in your kitchen – including your toilet seat. Rinsing with soap and water helps, but it’s not enough.

For a proper clean:

  1. After washing with soap and warm water, spray the board with undiluted white vinegar.
  2. Let it sit for 5 minutes, then rinse.
  3. For deeper sanitation, spray with a 3% hydrogen peroxide solution after the vinegar rinse and let air dry.

For wooden cutting boards, add a monthly oil treatment: rub food-grade mineral oil into the surface with a cloth, let it soak in for several hours, then wipe off the excess. This seals the wood and prevents bacteria from penetrating the grain.

Replace plastic cutting boards when deep knife grooves appear – bacteria hide in those cuts and can’t be cleaned out.