A wooden bread board makes an ideal cutting board for meat, fruits or vegetables, and can be used to hold bread for serving. It won't discolor any food and provides a smooth surface to work on. Unfortunately, a wooden bread board can be hard to keep clean because of the risk of bacteria seeping into the wood grain--it also can stain easily. Keep some key factors in mind when caring for your bread board, such as proper cleaning, disinfecting and protecting it.
- Skill level:
- Moderate
Instructions
Things you need
- Liquid dish detergent
- Clean rags
- Sponges
- Bleach or hydrogen peroxide
- Water
- Bucket
- Salt
- Mineral oils
- Scouring pad
- Sandpaper
- Baking soda
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1
Use a sponge soaked in hot water that is sudsy with liquid dish detergent to wipe down the wooden board immediately after use. If you exposed the board to raw meat of any kind, mix liquid dish detergent and one teaspoon of bleach or hydrogen peroxide per quart of water together in a bucket in order to disinfect the wood.
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2
Sprinkle salt on any stains. Let it sit for one minute, then rub the salt with a lemon wedge to help remove the stain.
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3
Remove deeper or large stains with a scouring pad soaked in an abrasive antibacterial soap.
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4
Rinse off the wooden board well after you are done cleaning. Make sure not to let the board sit in water for very long.
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5
Dry the board with a clean towel and lean it against the drying rack or wall to dry.
Cleaning The Board
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1
Use fine grit sandpaper to get rid of severe stains on the wooden board. Rub the sandpaper along the grain of the wood until the stain is gone.
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2
Polish the wood with a food-safe mineral oil after every couple of washings. This will help protect and preserve the wood board, increasing its longevity. You can use oils such as almond, olive, walnut and beeswax.
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3
Prevent warping by using both sides equally. Typically, warping occurs because only one side is used, so moisture builds up and makes the wood fibers swell.
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4
Use baking soda to remove strong odors on the wooden board, such as garlic, large amounts of seafood, onion, chilis or other similar foods.
