FOOD NEWS
Why You Should Think Twice Before Running Your Cutting Boards Through
The Dishwasher
By Haldan Kirsch
Dishwashers are great for saving time and sanitizing cookware, but certain items like kitchen knives should always be hand washed to prevent them from getting dulled, damaged, or rusted. Another less obvious kitchen item that doesn’t belong in your dishwasher is a cutting board because it can easily get damaged and warped.
Wooden cutting boards, especially, should never go in your dishwasher because wood fibers swell when they get wet, then shrink when they dry. Some plastic boards might be able to stand up to these temperature changes, but ultra-thin variations are more likely to warp and melt especially if they are placed on the bottom rack.
Most of the time, all your cutting board will need to be cleaned is a light scrub with a gentle dish detergent. If you've worked with raw meat, use a mixture of bleach or vinegar and water and let it soak in the solution for at least five minutes to ensure that all of the bacteria have been killed.