Cleaning plastic cutting boards


 
P

Paul K

TVWBB Guru
I have a plastic cutting board that obviously gets stained after certain foods are placed on it. In the past I've used white vinegar, dish washer detergent, bleach solutions, etc. to clean it. I may be crazy, but I think that after a while, the plastic is more susceptible to staining after several 'bleachings'. This board is too big to fit in my dishwasher. How do you clean your plastic boards?

Paul
 
Paul, I toss em out and buy new ones.
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Can't stand plastic cutting boards myself.

Clean with a vinegar, kosher salt and hot water paste (I don't use bleach on or around food prep items), rinse, and if still stained place in direct sun for several hours. If that doesn't work it's not likely you'll get it out.
 
You could always try an oxygen bleach product which is non-toxic (ie. OxyClean).

I have a tub of it at home, but haven't used it yet - but from what I've read it's a good alternative to chlorine bleach.
 
Most commercial kitchens are required to clean their boards with a chlorine bleach solution. If you can't fit yours into a dishwasher, I'd definitely use some kind of disinfectant like bleach to help sanitize it.

I use a wooden board myself. I can't put it into my dishwasher, but, according to recent wood science research, the germs get trapped in the wood and die as the board dries, normally in a couple of hours. Plastic has no such benefit. Wood is also easier on your knives.
 
I absolutely do not recommend cleaning with bleach. (It shouldn't be used on or near food service and prep areas, imo.) Many if not most HD's, fortunately, do not specify bleach. (I've fought health inspectors - and won; lost a few times too, but then I sought alternatives.)

Plain soap and water works well - especially if one scrubs and especially if one rinses under flowing water. It is friction then the flowing water that does the vast majority of cleaning and sanitizing - just like when one washes one's hands. Further sanitizing can be effectively accomplished with vinegar or H2O2 or, preferably, both, one sprayed on then the other (in any order), and the board allowed to completely air dry.
 
For cleaning I use PBW or oxyclean (fragrance free) and for sanitizing I use StarSan. PBW and StarSan you can get at homebrew stores. I never use bleach.
 
I have used this to remove the coffee stains on the inside of my coffee maker's carafe. I think it would work on a plastic cutting board (rinse well after using, of course).
 
I purposely have not bought any cutting boards larger than my dishwasher can handle.

Originally posted by Brad W:
For cleaning I use PBW or oxyclean (fragrance free) and for sanitizing I use StarSan. PBW and StarSan you can get at homebrew stores. I never use bleach.
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Greetings fellow homebrewer
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