How do you keep a cutting board clean?

Rinse the board as soon as you finish prepping, wash it with soap and warm water or run it through the dishwasher if the maker says it is dishwasher safe, then dry it fully before you put it away. The material decides the rest: plastic boards can go in the dishwasher when the maker allows it, and titanium surfaces are described as rinsing clean with water alone.

What follows below comes from the published descriptions of the five boards compared in Best Cutting Boards for Plastic and Titanium Sets. Nobody at Lush has used these boards. The cleaning steps are the ones the makers state, and the sizes are the ones they publish.

Rinse first, then wash with soap

The fastest habit is a rinse the moment the knife goes down. The THETCHRY set is described as BPA free and able to go directly into the dishwasher after use, or to be washed by hand with soap to remove stains. That covers both routes in one sentence, and it applies to all three boards in the set, which the maker lists at 15 by 10 inches, 11 by 8 inches and 9 by 6 inches.

The Empune set takes the same approach. The maker states that you can rinse the board directly with warm water or put it in the dishwasher. The largest board in that set is published at 17.0 by 11.8 by 0.4 inches, with a large at 14.0 by 9.5 by 0.35 inches and a medium at 11.4 by 7.8 by 0.35 inches. A board that size is awkward at the sink, so the dishwasher line matters more than it does on a small board.

GORILLA GRIP states that its boards are dishwasher safe and that the plastic helps prevent liquid and odor absorption. The maker also states that no oiling or special maintenance is required, which separates these boards from wood and bamboo in the maker’s own description. The set includes three boards, the largest published at 16 by 11.2 inches, a medium at 13.8 by 9.6 inches and a small at 11.8 by 8 inches, each .37 inches thick.

Titanium sides need less work

The two titanium boards in the comparison are described differently. Sumzzz states that both sides of its board can be rinsed clean with water after use, and that the titanium surface has a non-porous structure that helps reduce the absorption of liquids, odors and stains. The maker also states that the surface is less likely to retain residue than some traditional materials. The board is published at 16 by 11 inches.

Pexucalm makes a similar claim for its titanium side, stating that grease and meat juices rinse off more easily than on plastic and that a quick wipe with a dishcloth is enough. That board is published at 15.4 by 10.4 inches. The same maker is more careful about the other side: the wheat straw PP face is described as needing a prompt rinse after prepping strong colored ingredients to keep it looking fresh.

That split is the useful part. On a double-sided board, the titanium face is the one the maker describes as rinsing clean with water, and the plastic face is the one that wants a rinse soon after use. Treat them as two surfaces with two routines rather than one board with one rule.

Clean the grooves and around the handle

Juice grooves collect liquid, and liquid is where residue sits. GORILLA GRIP states that deep grooves catch messy juices. Empune states that a juice groove runs along all sides of the board to catch liquids before they reach the counter. Sumzzz lists a built in juice groove among the features of its 16 by 11 inch board, and Pexucalm describes a deep juice groove on the wheat straw side.

A groove is a channel, so it needs the same wash as the flat surface and a little more attention when you dry. The same goes for grip edges. Empune uses a TPR edge handle, Pexucalm encases the full edge in silicone, and GORILLA GRIP uses a slip resistant handle and rubber border. Those edges sit against the counter and pick up whatever is on it.

Handles and hanging holes are the other spots to check. THETCHRY puts a triangular handle on each board. Sumzzz states that a built in hanging hole allows for convenient drying and storage. Hanging a board by the hole lets air reach both faces, which is the simplest way to make sure it dries through.

Use separate boards and wash them separately

Cross contamination is a cleaning problem as much as a chopping problem. THETCHRY states that its three sizes are meant to be used separately, with the large 15 by 10 inch board for meat and fish, the medium 11 by 8 inch board for vegetables and fruit, and the small 9 by 6 inch board for onions and peppers. Three boards mean three washes, but each one stays in its lane.

Sumzzz states that its double sided board is designed for separate food preparation, with one side for meat and the other for fruits and vegetables. Pexucalm states that the titanium side is for raw meat and seafood and that you flip to the wheat straw PP side for vegetables and fruit. On those boards the separation happens on one object, so wash both faces even if you only used one.

Empune states that each size in its set is designed for a type of food and can be cut separately. The maker lists the extra large at 17.0 by 11.8 by 0.4 inches, the large at 14.0 by 9.5 by 0.35 inches and the medium at 11.4 by 7.8 by 0.35 inches. Assigning one board to raw meat keeps the washing job predictable.

Dry fully before you store it

Drying is the step people skip. A board put away wet keeps moisture against its face and against whatever it is stacked on. The makers that address storage point toward air. Sumzzz states that the hanging hole is for drying and storage. THETCHRY states that the handle lets you hang the board in a camper or truck. Either way, the board is off the counter and open to air.

Weight tells you how the board handles at the sink. THETCHRY publishes 1.4 pounds in its specification and states 2.3 pounds in its feature text, so the maker gives two different figures. GORILLA GRIP publishes 4.24 pounds for the set and states a combined 4.25 pounds in its feature text. Empune publishes 4.53 pounds. Sumzzz and Pexucalm do not publish a weight, so this site has not compared one for those two boards.

What the makers do not publish is a cleaning schedule, a water temperature for hand washing, or a drying time. None of the five gives a number of minutes or a frequency. The practical rule that follows from their descriptions is simple: rinse at once, wash with soap or in the dishwasher where the maker allows it, work the grooves and edges, and let the board dry in the open before it goes back in the drawer.