How To Clean A Plastic Cutting Board With Lemon

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Cleaning your kitchen utensils properly is essential to make sure you prevent food poisoning. Chopping boards have 200% more bacteria than a toilet seat according to NHS direct.

You may not be aware of the contamination taking place on your chopping board, but it's important to be aware of how bacteria from past meals can be transmitted to future ones.

Different coloured chopping boards for meat and veg are a sensible way of stopping contamination. The Food Standards Agency (FSA) recommends colour coding your chopping boards according to whether you are preparing raw or ready-to-eat food, meaning each type of food has a designated chopping board.

But, in reality, that doesn't always happen in a busy home. Follow our handy list of tips to make sure you keep your chopping boards clean and avoid getting ill.

How to clean chopping board

The humble chopping board is integral to even the most basic of kitchens, and that's why it needs careful care.

What to do...

Do oil your wooden boards regularly with mineral oil, available from stockists such Amazon. Follow label instructions.
Do remove food stains on plastic chopping boards by rubbing fresh or bottled lemon juice on to them and leaving overnight. If you prefer to use vinegar as an all-natural solution, mix four parts water with one part white vinegar. Soak the board for a few minutes. Rinse and dry.
Do keep them stain-free and hygienic, always scrub them in hot running water or, better still, pour freshly boiled water over them to sterilise them. If they're dishwasher-safe, this is the easiest way to ensure they're safe to use, but make sure the cycle is at least 65°C.
Do use disinfectant on boards that have had raw meat on them.

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What to avoid...

Don't place wooden boards in the dishwasher or soak them in hot water, or they'll warp and crack.
Don't prepare raw meat/poultry on the same board as cooked meat/poultry or fruit/veg without washing them thoroughly in-between.
Don't dry your boards with tea towels. When it comes to cross-contamination, tea towels are guilty. Paper towels are preferable.

Choosing your chopping board material...

Not sure which type of chopping board to opt for? Read on for the pros and cons of glass, plastic and wood...

Glass

Attractive in modern kitchens.
Heat-resistant, so you can rest a hot pan on it.
Odour and stain-proof.
Can dull knives and provide less grip when chopping.

Plastic

Lower maintenance as can be put in the dishwasher (needs to be washed at 65°C+ to remove the harmful bacteria effectively).
Non-porous, so bacteria and odours can be easily removed from the surface.
Typically the least expensive.
Not heat-resistant.

Wood

Higher maintenance, but if it's well looked after and oiled regularly, can last for years and remain waterproof.
Heat resistant.
Don't blunt your knives as quickly as other types of board.
Solid and sturdy, providing a good grip when in use.
Despite the fact that they draw bacteria into the wood, the bacteria can't reproduce there, so they die.

Chopping board essentials

Joseph Joseph Index Chopping Board Set

Joseph Joseph amazon.co.uk

£37.76

Lazy Lemon Juice Cleaner 1 Litre (Pack of 6)

Lazy Lemon amazon.co.uk

£16.74

Pure Mineral Oil - Chopping Board Oil - 250ml

Brandon Bespoke amazon.co.uk

£7.95

Marigold Cleaning Me Softly Scourer

Marigold amazon.co.uk

£1.25

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