Who would have thought that a standard wooden plank could be of so much use while cooking? We most certainly owe whoever for his ancient wooden plank idea and to what we call today as the wooden cutting board. Indeed the creation of wooden plank for cutting veggies was quite a discovery. Not only had it reduced the amount of bruises on the god blessed cook’s fingers but also on the expensive marble tiled table. But as the technology enhanced so did people. The primitive boards were replaced by the hard synthetic colourful cutting boards. Quite a trend then, they hardly survived. Like they say, no school is better than old school, no cutting board is better than a wooden one. But as everything has some limitations or faults or backdrops so does the magnificent wooden cutting boards. After using them for cutting, they are badly stained or some greasy sticky slimy thing stuck to it like magnet. But you need not worry about any more. We have some easy to go great tips for cleaning the veggie board.
Firstly always remember that the dishwashers are lifelong rivals with the wooden cutting boards. So don’t get lazy to clean your wooden board and simply dump it into the dishwasher, ever! What happens is people immediately throw the board into the dishwasher after its use. This results in transferring of pathogens into the wash water. Since, wood absorbs water submerging a dirty board may cause it to crack and distort. Getting the board cleaned is not rocket science. Its quite simple. Make it a habit to always rinse the board immediately after use.
Sterilise your board by dusting some hydrogen peroxide. Sprinkle it on the board and spread it around the board using a clean sponge. Let it set for a couple of minutes as it froths to kill the germs and later, wipe it with a clean sponge.
Also you could get rid of the stains by spraying some salt or baking soda. Keep in mind to dry the board first and then sprinkle some salt or baking soda. Scrub it with a brush or sponge by dunking it into hot water. That is quite homemade remedy for your wooden cutting board.
Try freshening your wooden board with some vinegar. Just pour in some vinegar on the board or keep a spare spray bottle of vinegar just for your wooden cutting board. Once the vinegar settles on the board, let it stand for a couple of minutes and then wipe it off with a clean cloth or sponge. Use of vinegar prevents the board from getting smelly and definitely avoids stains.
Bleach is also a good cleansing agent. Try to cleanse your board with some bleach. You don’t have to do it on a regular base, but once in 2 weeks time is good. But you must clean your board with bleach especially after working with meat, chicken or sea food. Mix 1 teaspoon on bleach into 1 quarter of water. Submerge the board into this solution. Let it set for a couple of minutes and then wash it off with hot water. Your board is good as new.