Have you ever cut delicious strawberries on a cutting board and noticed a weird flavor? Suddenly, you recall the onions and garlic cloves you prepped on it. The flavors are so intense that they seep into everything.
Lifestyle TikToker and home cook Shayna Terese Taylor (@shaynateresetaylor) wanted to find a solution — and a natural remedy was born. Prepare to clean your cutting board so it smells like it just came from the store.
@shaynateresetaylor Does your wood cutting board smell of garlic and onion? Know you're not alone! It's super common to have the smell of the things you cut the most gather on your board! Don't worry - we got a natural and effective solution for you 🙃 Save this sustainable cleaning recipe and your cutting board will never look cleaner or smell nicer! Ingredients 1/2 lemon Splash of Vinegar *optional* Celtic Coarse Salt Coconut Oil, Olive oil or a wood conditioner Instructions 1. Squeeze half a lemon onto the board and use lemon to mix juice into board. Add salt, and make circular motions mixing the lemon and salt together. ** add vinegar into mix if smell is strong 2. Leave mixture to sit for 15 minutes. Wipe down board with sponge and towel until dry. 3. Use oil of your choice or wood conditioner to coat board and leave a polished finish. Your cutting board will look and smell brand new again! Tag someone who loves sustainable kitchen hacks below! #sustainability #sustainable #sustainableliving #kitchenhacks #cleaning #cleaninghacks #cleaningtips ♬ Bossa Nova / cafe / food comfortable with a guitar - MATSU
The scoop
Cutting boards — especially wooden ones — absorb scents and flavors, compromising the taste of anything you prepare. Stop this now by grabbing half a lemon and dripping the juices all over the cutting board.
Once it's coated, sprinkle coarse salt generously over the lemon juice. Using the squeezed lemon like a scrubbing pad, apply pressure in circular motions. Make sure you evenly coat and treat every corner, focusing more on the sections you use the most.
Feel free to add a tiny splash of vinegar. It's a natural deodorizer, and a little goes a long way. Let your hard work sit for 15 minutes.
"Wipe it all down, and then we're gonna oil our board so it's nice and fresh and hydrated," Shayna adds. She stated in the comments that she does this every two weeks. The routine will be the reason her sustainable cutting board lasts.
"Your cutting board will look and smell brand-new again," she notes.
How it's helping
Lemon juice is naturally antibacterial and antifungal, making it an effective and safe way to keep kitchens sanitary. Washing cutting boards by hand is better for their long-term health. Dishwashers split the wood over time, causing you to waste money on new ones.
Lemon isn't the only kitchen-cleaning savior. Lime is effective in tons of places, too. These ingredients are also incredibly cost-effective. Most people spend too much on deceptive commercial cleaners, not realizing that they contain harmful chemicals and that the cost includes the plastic packaging. Save your budget and the planet a headache by using biodegradable ingredients you already have.
🗣️ Which of these groups has the biggest role to play in reducing food waste?
🔘 Grocery stores 🛒
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🗳️ Click your choice to see results and speak your mind
Shayna points out another eco-friendly cleaning tip. She cleared the board using a reusable wipe instead of disposable paper towels. These are ideal for low-waste cleaning all over the house.
What everyone's saying
Responses included gratitude, curiosity, and suggestions for experimenting with this technique. The simple cleaning hack will inform numerous people on how to cleanse this often-forgotten kitchen item.
"Make the board clean again!" one joked.
Someone suggested "scrubbing it with the residues of coffee" and placing it in the fridge to absorb the smell. Baking soda was another common winner in the comments section.
"Great tip, thanks for sharing," another said.
Since this requires only a few ingredients and has an immediate payoff, it's hard not to go to the kitchen and try it now.
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