How To Clean Plastic Cutting Board

Of all types of cutting boards, plastic is the most convenient and easy to care for. They are dishwasher-safe, unlike wooden cutting boards. But those knife-inflicted marks can be a ground for bacterial growth over time. You need to properly care for and learn how to clean plastic cutting board so you can use it for years. Most importantly, this practice will prevent bacteria from contaminating your food.

Steps to Clean Your Plastic Cutting Board

It is best to clean your plastic cutting board after each use because they are the favorite bacteria habitat. You can put it in a dishwasher. But for a thorough cleaning, hand washing may be a better option. Here are steps on how to clean plastic cutting board: 

• Dilute dishwashing soap with water and use a sponge to clean the cutting board. 
  
• When stains are still present, use a brush for scrubbing. 
  
• Rinse the board using hot water to disinfect the cutting board at the same time. 
  
• You can also disinfect your cutting board by soaking it in white vinegar mixed with water.
  
• Rinse the board thoroughly with water.
  
• Let the cutting board stand to dry before storing it completely.
  

Useful Tips in Cleaning Plastic Cutting Board

• Plastics have non-porous surfaces, so they are entirely safe in the dishwasher. Dishwashers run a hot cycle, so aside from cleaning, it can also disinfect your plastic cutting board. The dishwasher's high heating setting can heat the water above the temperature that your skin can tolerate and will effectively more bacteria.
  
• If you opt to clean your cutting board by hand, wash it with hot soapy water and apply a gentle brush scrub to wash away dirt and stains.
  
• It is best to use a scrub brush when you wash your cutting board by hand because it can penetrate the crevices and remove stubborn bacteria and food particles. Avoid using a sponge because it will have a hard time getting into knife grooves.
  
• If you decide to disinfect your cutting board manually, avoid using bleach, and use a white vinegar solution. To do it, wash the cutting board and soak it in a white vinegar solution. Let it sit for about five minutes and wash it again in soapy water. Suppose you are not comfortable with a vinegar solution. In that case, you can try spraying a 3% hydrogen peroxide solution on your cutting board and let it for a while to sit in before rinsing in soapy water.
  
• Using a vinegar solution is a way on how to clean plastic cutting board. It will naturally clean your cutting board and kill germs and bacteria without damaging your kitchen tool. It works as effectively as bleach. It is also an easy and green way to keep your plastic cutting board look good as new.  
  
• If there are stubborn stains that don't easily get removed, try making an effective solution that will scrub out stains easily. Use baking soda, salt, and water to make a paste mixture. Scrub the mixture to the stained surface and watch it disappear fast.
  

Why Avoid Using Bleach in Cleaning Plastic Cutting Board?

Using bleach is also an effective way to remove stains and kill bacteria and germs from your plastic cutting board. However, it can cause surface corrosion and may pose a risk to your health; that is why it is crucial to know how to clean plastic cutting boards properly and healthily.

Bleach is dangerous when inhaled; it could cause eye and skin irritation. It is also toxic to the body when consumed accidentally. Your plastic cutting board has direct contact with your food; it is unsafe when bleach is present on it.

Bleach has a high pH level, and it can easily wear down any plastic material. When you use bleach in cleaning your cutting board, you might most likely damage it than clean and disinfect it. The use of pure bleach may be against a product's cleaning recommendation and may damage your tool and shorten its service life.

Conclusion

Related Articles