Quick Ways to Disinfect Your Plastic Chopping Board

Chopping boards are one of the most-used tools in the kitchen, and they're also one of the dirtiest. In fact, researchers have found that the kitchen staple is 200 times dirtier than a toilet seat.

While cutting boards are usually washed with soap and water after use, bacteria can still get trapped in the grooves and scratches on the board's surface. This is why it's important to replace your old chopping board (especially if it's made of plastic) when it has accumulated deep knife cuts. “The more grooves it has, and the bigger they are, the more area is available for trapping moisture and giving bacteria a place to proliferate," food safety researcher Ben Chapman tells the NC State News. 

For chopping boards that are still usable, regular disinfection is a must—this is something that many people tend to skip!

To sanitize a cutting board, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) recommends using a solution of one tablespoon of liquid chlorine bleach per gallon of water. Pour the solution on the board, and let it sit there for at least five minutes to let the bleach work. Then, rinse the chopping board with water. If you currently don't have bleach, you can also soak the chopping board in a white vinegar solution!