How To Naturally Clean Your Wooden Cutting Boards

I love wooden cutting boards!

They are definitely my go-to choice when preparing food because of their non-toxic quality, benefit to knives, natural antibacterial properties and beauty.

I use a separate board for veggies/fruits, one for cheeses and one for meats/fish.

On my meat and fish boards, I add another step, disinfecting with hydrogen peroxide after the vinegar, which is more effective than either alone. They can’t be mixed because it lowers the effectiveness, but must be applied one after another for maximum sanitizing.

Here’s how to clean your wooden cutting boards:

Non-Toxic Cutting Board Disinfectant
by Amy Love, Real Food Whole Health

1 cup white vinegar (organic is non-GMO)
1 cup clean water
1 TBL baking soda
1 TBL salt
½ lemon

Optional additions: 
Hydrogen peroxide – for meat/fish board
Olive oil, beeswax, walnut oil or food-grade mineral oil for conditioning

Directions:
Wipe off cutting board to remove any crumbs or debris.
In a clean spray bottle, mix vinegar and water and shake to combine.
Spray board well with vinegar mixture.
Sprinkle baking soda and salt over the (now wet) board.
Using the half a lemon, cut side down, scrub the board vigorously.
Let sit 5-10 minutes.
Rinse the board with clean water.
Spray once more with the vinegar solution.

Optional: Add hydrogen peroxide to a clean spray bottle and spray board.
Allow to sit for 5 minutes and wipe dry.
Allow board to dry fully (upright is best) before storing.

If it’s been awhile, you can condition your board with olive oil, beeswax, walnut oil or food-grade mineral oil, though I suggest one of the other options before mineral oil. Oiling your board about once per month will keep it in good condition and extend its life in the kitchen.