Can I Put My Cutting Board in the Dishwasher?

After you get done using your cutting board, you might wonder how you’re going to clean it. Without knowing how to efficiently and safely clean it, you may damage it. It’s important to know what you are doing before you throw your hard-earned money down the drain.

Though people sometimes manage to wash non-dishwasher safe items in a dishwasher, it is not worth the risk considering that high quality wooden cutting boards can sometimes be costly.

If you put a cutting board not made to withstand the heat and moisture of a dishwasher in for a cycle, you are risking a whole list of potential issues. Below are a few of those issues you might see arise:

Warping If your cutting board begins to warp, that means it’ll bend out of shape and twist into something that can no longer be used. A flat surface is important in a cutting board, and if it begins to warp, that flat surface will most likely be gone. Cracking If your wood cutting board begins to crack, it will become difficult to use. The surface will become uneven and it may disrupt your cutting process. Cracks are also a breeding ground for unhealthy bacteria which can transfer to your food. Though washing your cutting board in the dishwasher once may only cause small cracks, continuous washing in the dishwasher could cause it to split in half.

Splintering If your wood cutting board begins to splinter, it can become a safety hazard. Sharp pieces of wood can become embedded in your skin and hands, which can be quite painful. This is caused from the intense temperature and moisture differences that take place while the board is in the dishwasher.

---

---

WOOD CUTTING BOARDS Wood cutting boards are very common, and they are also the most important in keeping out of the dishwasher. If you’ve ever owned any wooden dishes, you would probably know that they aren’t recommended for dishwashers. That is because they tend to warp, splinter, and crack.

Deformities tend to appear on wood when the moisture content is changed unevenly in several parts of the wood. This includes when the front and back are unevenly exposed. Therefore, anything that is wooden should be carefully washed by hand and then left to air dry when possible. A few drops of water won’t cause lasting damage as long as it dries quickly, but a dishwasher would expose the wood for over an hour, inevitably causing warping.

If you have ever had a floor that is wooden, you might be very familiar with the concept of warping. When unwanted moisture enters the floor, it tends to lift and separate, which can become very frustrating. That same reaction is essentially what happens when wooden cutting boards are washed if prolonged exposure to moisture occurs.

---

How Should Cutting Boards be Cleaned?

Now that you’ve decided that you shouldn’t clean your cutting board in your dishwasher, you are probably wondering what other choices you have. Below is a step-by-step guide to cleaning wooden cutting boards.

• Scrape or scrub any leftover food or residue with a sponge, etc.

• Use soap and water to wash it gently by hand.

• Ensure that both sides of the board are wet in order to minimize chances of warping.

• Rinse with water to flush any bacteria and residual food particles off the surface.

  • You can disinfect with white vinegar spray, but this is purely optional.

  • Make sure to dry the cutting board completely to avoid warping.

How to Clean and Care for Cutting Boards

A wooden cutting board will last for years with proper care and conditioning. Here’s how to provide the best care for your board!

How to Clean a Wood Cutting Board: Dos and Don’ts

Quick Tips For Everyday Use

DO:

Do wash your cutting board by hand. If you’re just slicing bread, you can simply wipe it off, but for moist, sticky, or pungent foods (which is most of them), you’ll need to wash and rinse it. Washing immediately after use allows for easy removal of food residue.

Do be sure to wet both sides of your cutting board thoroughly when washing. Failure to do so will eventually cause your board to crack and/or warp.

Do use liquid dish soap to wash your cutting board.

Do wipe your clean cutting board dry, and let it finish by air-drying on its side.

DON'T:

Don’t soak a cutting board. You can submerge it in water, but only for a brief time. Soaking can cause the board to warp and/or crack.

Don’t put wooden cutting boards in the dishwasher. The excessive heat and harsh chemicals of the dish detergent will cause the wood to dry out, warp, and/or crack.

Don’t use harsh, concentrated cleaners on your cutting board.

More Tips for Cutting Board Care

• As you prep, wipe the surface of the board frequently with a sponge or dishcloth. This will make overall cleanup faster and easier when you have finished.

• Wash your cutting board immediately after you’ve finished using it. This prevents liquids, food residue, and odors from penetrating the wood. Have you ever sliced an apple only to discover locked-in garlic from the soup you made the day before has ruined your perfect fruit? Frequently wiping the board as you use it will keep this from happening.

• Sanitize your cutting board after prepping raw meat. Use either pure white vinegar or a solution of 1 1/2 teaspoons bleach mixed in 4 cups of water.

• To freshen up a board with not so pleasant odors (think residual onion or garlic vapors), gently rub some fine sea salt over the surface with a sliced or halved lemon; let it sit for 1-2 minutes, and then wipe off the board.

• To remove any stubborn stains, sprinkle a light dusting of baking soda over the cutting board, rub with a warm, damp cloth, then rinse away any excess baking soda. Remember to dry thoroughly with the board on it's side to keep odors at bay!

• If there happens to be caked-on residue, it’s okay to gently use an abrasive scrubbing pad. Be sure to use a lightly abrasive pad, and not a highly abrasive product such as steel wool.

Why You Need to Condition a Wood Cutting Board

Just like how your hair needs regular conditioning, cutting boards need a regular conditioning treatment to keep them shiny and radiant. A properly conditioned wood cutting board is somewhat waterproof, preventing it from absorbing moisture, and therefore fewer odors from food prepped on the surface of the board.

A well conditioned board will also help protect against bacteria buildup and prevent your cutting board from splitting, cracking, splintering and/or warping. Warping will cause your cutting board will wobble when you chop on it, which can be quite dangerous. Cracking and splitting should be avoided because all of those little cracks can and will harbor moisture and built up food gunk, becoming breeding grounds for bacteria.

The Best Products for Conditioning Your Cutting Board

So why use a special oil instead of what you already have in your kitchen? A cutting board is not a cooking pan or a nice spring salad, but it is a tool that needs proper care and maintenance. You should never use cooking oil for conditioning your cutting boards.

The reason you ask? Rancidity. Even very stable oils like coconut or olive oil will eventually go rancid, causing your cutting board to smell quite horrible. If you’re wondering what you could expect to smell and if it's really that bad, go to a thrift store and find an old wooden salad bowl or serving dish and smell it closely. Chances are, it probably stinks horribly and smells like wet cardboard mixed with a closet full of moth balls and decades old clothing. I don't know about you, but that's pretty gross, right? That odor you're imagining right now is the smell of oil that’s penetrated the wood and gone rancid.

However, you do not need to doom your cutting boards to the same fate! Stick to either food-grade mineral oil or a beeswax and mineral oil blend, and you’ll be in good shape. Lavender or lemongrass oils can be added to your conditioning cream for a luxurious touch. You can purchase our Board Conditioner, which is expertly crafted by hand with a blend of food-grade white mineral oil and pure beeswax for easy application and maintenance of your board.

When to Condition Your Cutting Board

There is no magic formula to know exactly how often you should condition your cutting board. Visual inspection will tell you when it is time. Overall it will start to look dried out or have a gray tint to it, with a lighter colored patch in the center. You may also notice the ends of your board becoming rough, or see small splits in the seams of the wood at the ends (think split ends on hair).

If you absolutely need a recipe for when to do it, condition your board once every 1-2 months. I personally condition my boards once per month, and apply oil as needed in between. These boards get a lot of use, and the more you wash your board, the more often you need to oil it. Remember that dish soap is designed to remove oily residues from your dishes, which means that it also slowly removes the protective coating that oils and board conditioners provide.

Climate and humidity are also factors in determining how often to treat your board. You will need to oil your cutting boards more often in the winter, when the house is naturally more dry and the heat is running more often. Conditioner may need to be applied more frequently if you live in a humid area since the moisture can penetrate the wood in your board.

When to Replace Your Cutting Board

Keep in mind, that as much as we all love our cutting boards, if the board is badly splitting, splintering, or deeply cracked, it’s time to replace it. Food and moisture can get into these areas and become a health hazard and breeding ground for bacteria. Typically, wooden cutting boards can last up to 5 years with moderate use if they are cared for properly.