How to Clean and Restore an Old Cutting Board

Have you ever passed on purchasing a used cutting board because you weren’t sure about getting it clean? See easy ways to clean and restore an old cutting board here.

There are two things about me that you may know by now:

1. I LOVE a good deal!
2. I am a little bit of a germ freak!

So last summer when I found an old cutting board at a garage sale for $1, I had a dilemma. I did a little research and found how to clean and restore an old cutting board – dilemma solved, I bought it!

I don’t think you really have to be a germ freak to realize how many germs could be found in a used cutting board, even your own personal boards.

Food and other (invisible) things tend to soak into wood, especially if you are actually cutting on the board.

Cleaning and Restoring Old Cutting Boards

There are many methods for cleaning cutting boards. I probably went overboard with this one, but since it came from a garage sale, I wanted to be sure it was disinfected.

Pick and choose the ones you feel the most comfortable using. Choose one method or all of them.

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Supplies Needed

• Dawn Dishwashing Soap (I really love Dawn Powerwash!)
• Vinegar
• Hydrogen Peroxide
• Sea Salt and Lemon
• A Food-Safe Butcher Block Sealant
• Sponge Paintbrush (Not pictured here)

Cleaning Methods

Start by cleaning your cutting boards in warm soapy water. Again, I prefer using Dawn products because they really cut through grease well.

Just give it a good scrub and let it dry well before choosing one or more of the following methods to disinfect it.

1 – Vinegar Method

This is as simple as you can get – Wipe the board down with a generous amount of white vinegar.

Vinegar is a natural disinfectant and cleaner. Many people use it to clean around their homes, because it is all natural and does not have harsh chemicals in it.

2 – Hydrogen Peroxide

Hydrogen peroxide is well known for pouring on scrapes and other wounds. I always liked seeing all the bubbles, because I felt like it was killing the germs.

Peroxide is not just for medical purposes. It is also used for cleaning surfaces in homes, just like vinegar.

To clean your cutting board, wipe the hydrogen peroxide generously on the board, and let it sit for 5 minutes. After the 5 minutes, rinse the board well.

3 – Sea Salt and Lemon

I love this method! For some reason, it is very satisfying.

Sea salts kill germs and bacteria on their own. You can actually use any type of salt that you have on hand, but sea salt works extremely well.

Lemons also clean stains and bacteria. Together with the salt, they make a great combination.

• Pour the sea salt on the board. (You can also pour the salt directly onto the lemon if you prefer.
• Cut a lemon in half, and use the open end like a sponge, rubbing the salt into the board. This not only disinfects the board, but it also acts like a light sandpaper.
• After cleaning the board well, let it sit for 5 minutes and rinse well with water.

You obviously do not need to use all of these methods, but they are all so easy. Just pick the one you like best. If you feel like you need more, feel free to throw in another method or two.

After you feel confident that the wood is disinfected, let it dry completely. If it is a warm sunny day, you can set it out in the sun for a while.

Restoring Old Cutting Boards

When I got to this part of the project, I was anxious to get it done. Looking back, I should have sanded it down a little. I will probably go back and do that at a later time.

I found that one popular method is to use coconut oil to treat the wood. It soaks into the wood and as soon as it dries, it is ready to use.

I happened to have a food-safe butcherblock sealant that I used on a Lazy Susan some time ago. It worked well. I gave it a couple of coats, letting it dry in between each one, and it looked great. The sealant tends to keep the food from soaking in as much, and it is easy to wash and keep clean.

Other Things I Found Regarding Old Cutting Boards

After I finished cleaning and restoring the cutting board, I found a post written by one of my favorite bloggers – CoCo at The Crowned Goat. She gave more details regarding conditioning them as well as storing them. It also looks like maybe I didn’t go overboard on my cleaning – she has the same methods listed. Here is the link to her post. I think you will love her site!

For all of you crafty people out there, My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia shared how to transfer a handwritten recipe onto a wooden cutting board. It seems pretty simple. Here is the post with instructions.

If you want to have a recipe engraved onto a wooden cutting board professionally, my friend Julie can definitely do it for you. She does excellent work. See her page here and all that she engraves.

If you are looking for an easy artisan bread recipe to go along with your cutting board, I have it! Try this Easy and Delicious Artisan Bread Recipe.

If you are ever at a garage sale or thrift store and find a used cutting board, don’t be afraid to get it.

After using these methods to clean and restore an old cutting board, I feel confident that they can be cleaned and usable.

Have you used cutting boards in your decorations? What other ideas do you have for them? I would love to hear!

Until next time,

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“When I am filled with cares, Your comfort brings me joy.” Psalms 94:19