How to use and care for plastic chopping boards

Most kitchens need at least one plastic board alongside a wooden one. Polyethylene and polypropylene boards are light, non-porous on the surface, affordable and — for many — dishwasher-safe, which makes them the practical choice for raw meat, poultry and fish. They are not maintenance-free, though: knife cuts become grooves, and grooves hold food and bacteria. This guide covers plastic and composite boards and flexible chopping mats. Materials and heat tolerances vary, so where your board's instructions differ, follow the manufacturer.

Set up to work safely

• Keep the board from sliding. Use a board with non-slip feet or edges, or lay a damp cloth or piece of kitchen paper underneath.
• Use a board big enough for the job. Food falling off the edges is how cross-contamination and cut fingers happen.
• Cut with sharp knives. A blunt blade needs more force, which scores the board deeper and slips more easily.
• Do not use the board as a trivet. Hot pans, oven trays and potjie lids melt and warp plastic.

Raw and ready-to-eat: keep them apart

The most important habit with any board is separation. Use one board for raw meat, poultry and fish, and a different one for bread, fruit, vegetables, cheese and anything that will not be cooked. Colour-coded sets make this easy to stick to; if your boards are all one colour, mark one for raw meat and keep it for that alone. If you have only one board, prepare ready-to-eat food first, then raw meat, then wash the board thoroughly before using it again.

Everyday cleaning

1. Scrape off food straight after use; do not let meat juices dry on.
2. Wash both sides with hot water, dishwashing liquid and a stiff brush or scrubbing sponge. A brush reaches into knife grooves far better than a cloth.
3. Rinse well under hot running water.
4. Stand the board upright or on a rack to dry completely before stacking or putting away.

After raw meat, poultry or fish, clean the board, then the knife, the counter and your hands. Wash the sponge or brush too, or it simply moves bacteria to the next surface.

The dishwasher

Many plastic boards are dishwasher-safe, and a hot cycle is an effective way to clean them. Check the label first. Stand the board upright in the bottom rack so water reaches both sides and it does not bend over the tines, and avoid very high-heat or drying settings if your board is thin — heat is what warps plastic. Wooden, bamboo and boards with wooden or rubber parts should never go in the dishwasher.

Sanitising

For an occasional deeper clean — after raw chicken, or if the board has been stored damp — wash it first, then soak or wipe it with a diluted household bleach solution made up according to the bleach label, and rinse thoroughly with clean water. Never mix bleach with vinegar, ammonia or other cleaners. Neat bleach and abrasive powders roughen the surface over time, so keep this as an occasional step rather than a daily one.

Stains and odours

• Beetroot, turmeric, curry and tomato stains: scrub with a paste of bicarbonate of soda and a little water, leave for a few minutes, then rinse.
• Garlic, onion and fish smells: rub with half a lemon and coarse salt, or wipe with white vinegar, then wash and rinse.
• Light-coloured boards in strong sunlight for an afternoon often fade stubborn stains further.
• Avoid steel wool and harsh scouring powders; they roughen the surface so it stains and holds food more easily.

Drying and storage

Moisture trapped between stacked boards is where smells and mould start, particularly in humid coastal kitchens. Store boards upright in a rack or holder, or lean them against the wall with a gap behind, and never put them away wet. Keep them away from the stove, kettle and toaster, where heat can warp them.

Troubleshooting

• Board slides on the counter — dry the counter and put a damp cloth underneath, or replace worn non-slip feet.
• Board has warped — usually heat from the dishwasher or a hot pan. A slightly bowed board rocks and is unsafe to cut on; replace it.
• Smell will not go — deep scoring is holding residue. Try bicarbonate and a stiff brush; if the smell returns, replace the board.
• Dark or furry spots — mould from storing damp. Scrub, sanitise, dry thoroughly; if the marks are in deep grooves, replace it.
• Knives dull quickly — glass, stone and ceramic boards are the usual culprits; plastic itself is gentle on edges.

When to replace

Plastic boards are not forever. Replace a board when knife grooves are deep enough to catch a fingernail or will not come clean with a brush, when it stays stained or smelly after cleaning, when it has warped or cracked, or when it has been scorched. A board used daily for raw meat will usually need replacing sooner than a vegetable or bread board. Flexible chopping mats wear faster still and are cheap to replace.