How to sanitize cutting boards

Cutting boards can quickly become a breeding ground for harmful bacteria, gathering in the grooves and cracks caused by sharp knives. But it is quite easy to safely clean you cutting boards, whether they are wood, plastic or glass, to protect you and your family.

Once you have finished using your cutting board, wash it with hot soapy water. If needed, use a scrubbing brush to remove stains or stubborn food particles.

Then to sanitize your cutting board, you can simply put it through the dishwasher's cycle with a load of dishes, or you can do it yourself in the sink by rinsing it with a diluted chlorine bleach solution in a handy spray or squirt bottle (keep out of reach of children). The solution is one tablespoon of bleach to one gallon of water.

Always remember to wash and sanitize your board after using it for meat, poultry or seafood, and before using it for any ready-to-eat foods that would not be heated high enough to kill bacteria.