Bamboo cutting boards are designed to be more durable than a standard cutting board. But that doesn't mean you shouldn't learn how to clean a bamboo cutting board properly. Get tips and tricks for cleaning your bamboo cutting board of dirt, mold, stains, and even sanding them.
Materials for Cleaning, Sanitized, and Seasoning a Bamboo Cutting Board
Before you jump headfirst into cleaning your board, you need a few materials to get you started.
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Oil (mineral oil, board oil, butter, beeswax, coconut oil, etc.)
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Dish soap (Dawn recommended)
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Baking soda
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Salt
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Cloth
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Scouring pad
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Fine-grit sandpaper
How to Season a Bamboo Cutting Board
Before you think about using or cutting on a bamboo cutting board, it's important that you properly season it. To season it, you need to put a coating of oil or wax on it to protect the wood and create a barrier against water and meat juices. While some boards might be pre-seasoned, you don't want to skip this step unless you know for sure.
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Grab a cloth and some type of oil. Some people use mineral oil, while others like butter beeswax or specialized board oils.
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Warm up the oil on the stove.
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Lay a thick layer of oil on the board, rubbing in a circular motion.
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Let it sit for at least 24 hours.
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Buff it with a clean cloth.
You want to season your cutting board every month or as it needs it.
Simple Steps for How to Clean a Bamboo Cutting Board
Since your bamboo cutting board is preseasoned, how you clean your bamboo cutting board is pretty simple. For this step, grab the dish soap and a cloth. Remember water is the enemy of your bamboo cutting board, you don't want to submerge it in water but rinse it off.
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Put a drop of dish soap on a wet cloth.
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Scrub the cutting board in circular motions.
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Rinse and dry.
How to Clean a Stained Bamboo Cutting Board
If your cutting board has a stain, then rather than getting a harsh chemical, you can grab baking soda or salt.
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Sprinkle baking soda or salt on the stain.
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Rub it in a circular motion.
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Let it sit for up to 5 minutes.
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Scrub it again with a cloth or scouring pad.
Clean Bamboo Cutting Board With Mold
If you happen to have a bit of mold on your bamboo cutting board, it's not destined for the trash bin. Instead, you need to grab the white vinegar and baking soda.
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Soak a cloth in white vinegar.
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Lay it over the mold and let it sit for 5 or so minutes.
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Remove the cloth and sprinkle a bit of baking soda on the mold.
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Scrub with the baking soda and a scouring pad until all traces of mold are gone.
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Rinse and dry.
How to Sanitize a Bamboo Cutting Board
If you are leery of chemicals, you might want to stick to white vinegar when it comes to disinfecting your cutting board. However, white vinegar isn't as effective at killing germs as hydrogen peroxide, which is an EPA approved disinfectant. You can choose the chemical you use based on your comfort level.
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Pour straight white vinegar or peroxide on the cutting board.
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Spread it around.
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Let it sit for 5 minutes.
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Rinse it off well.
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Dry completely.
How to Sand a Bamboo Cutting Board
One of the great things about bamboo cutting boards is when they are old and dried out, you can sand them for a renewed look. Restoring your cutting board is pretty easy.
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Sand both sides with fine-grit sandpaper until the old surface is gone.
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Wash with soapy water on a cloth.
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Dry and reseason the board.
Can You Wash Bamboo Cutting Boards in the Dishwasher?
Cobra Kai said it best when they said, "The enemy deserves no mercy." Water is an enemy to cutting boards because it can cause warping. While bamboo cutting boards are a bit more resistant, it's still not recommended you put them in the dishwasher. The water with the heat is not a good combination for your board.
The Perfect Cutting Board
Bamboo cutting boards and countertops are the perfect choice because they are a bit more durable than your run of the mill wood cutting boards. However, you still have to use the proper care when it comes to cleaning them. That includes keeping them out of submerged water and the dishwasher.
