Wooden cutting board in dishwasher?

[KarenLK]

Can I do this? It really is cruddy looking, but I don't want to damage the board.

 

[Ubil]

If it is several pieces of wood glued together (instead of one piece of wood) , don't do it.

We did it, even though there was a sticker on the cutting board not to, and it came apart.

It was not easy gluing it back together, because it warped.

 

[applegirl]

No, you can't wash wood in the dishwasher.

If you want to freshen up the board, get it wet, put a bunch of salt on it then take half a lemon and use it like a sponge. Scrub away! This takes care of any odors too.

Janna

 

[MRSFUSSY]

I Don't Think That Wooden

kitchen utensils are very sanitary.

 

[Chrisky]

If you have a good sander and a steady hand you could sand the 'crud' off and then re-season the board. Wooden boards can be effectively sanitized with vinegar. You could look at this site for information about wooden boards.
http://whatscookingamerica.net/CuttingBoards/AllAbout.htm

 

[coyote]

I throw mine in the dishwasher all the time. Never had a problem with it coming apart or warping. Mine is a solid piece of wood that is shaped like a paddle.

Charlotte

 

[Pit]

I threw mine in the dishwasher all the time too. Now, I have several small cutting boards.

 

[AwayWeGo]

Carburetor.

1 time I ran a carburetor body through the dishwasher, before installing a rebuild kit -- rebuild kit in the carburetor, I mean, not in the dishwasher.

It seemed like a good idea at the time.

The Chief Of Staff was not home at the time.

I didn't tell her about it, either.

I'm not sure, but I think I got away with it.

-- Alan Cole, McLean (Fairfax County), Virginia, USA.​

 

[Passepartout]

I like the salt and lemon routine. If it's gouged deeply from cutting on it, sand it down and re-season with mineral oil. Don't put in the dishwasher if it's laminated- it won't be afterward. It would be iffy even if a well sealed solid plank. We put olivewood utensils in the dishwasher, and re-oil them from time to time. I can't see their life is shortened.

I heard on NPR that you can put your computer keyboard in the dishwasher, just not attached to the laptop.

Jim Ricks

 

[pcgirl54]

I wash mine with bleach and rinse in hot water.

 

[T_R_Oglodyte]

Dishwashers destroy anything made of wood. Wood does not tolerate extremes of moisture and heat, which is what occurs in a dishwasher.

With a cutting board, the dishwasher will break down the cell structure of the wood, allowing dirt and grease to penetrate more deeply into the wood. Which creates a great environment for bacteria to colonize deeper into the cutting board - not sanitary at all.

 

[pjrose]

My favorite cutting board is one my Dad (the cook in our family) was using at least 40 years ago - I use it daily (but never for raw meat or fish) and every week or so I soak it in the sink with some bleach for around 10-15 minutes.

If it's made from multiple pieces of wood glued together (just look at the grain), the dishwasher will kill it, as will soaking it for too long.

If yours is icky, first scrub it - lemon and salt, or baking soda, or a scrubby ball, even steel wool is ok to get it back in shape (though I wouldn't use it regularly), or you could sand it.

Then disinfect it occasionally with the water/bleach routine, or spray with a product made for sanitizing food surfaces.

 

[borntotravel]

Mine are solid wood, and I have been washing them in the dishwasher each time I use them for years, and they are fine. To me, it's the only way to make sure all the germs are out of the little crevices the knives have made and to get rid of any stains on them also. If it wasn't for all the knife marks, mine would look brand new still.

I would not put the "layered" wooden ones in, they will definately warp and fall apart.

 

[KarenLK]

I guess I forgot to mention that I don't use it as a cutting board, but rather as a hot pad for hot dishes on the table. I can't explain all the gunk on it.

 

[Emily]

I threw mine in the dishwasher all the time too. Now, I have several small cutting boards.

Me too it warped eventually, then I bought a few small glass, a large glass one to set on the counter. Its amazing how much these are used. We just throw them in the dw.

 

[Chrisky]

Well then Karen. Not much of a problem then. Use steelwool, or fine sandpaper, sand off the crud, and voila, a clean hot pad.

 

[Fern Modena]

Not exactly on topic, but I use an adjustable metal cradle for most of my casseroles. For the rest of the hot stuff, I put a pot holder under them at the table. A very low tech idea, but it works. Besides keeping the heat from the table it keeps the dish/pot from slipping around.

Fern

I guess I forgot to mention that I don't use it as a cutting board, but rather as a hot pad for hot dishes on the table. I can't explain all the gunk on it.

 

[wackymother]

1 time I ran a carburetor body through the dishwasher, before installing a rebuild kit -- rebuild kit in the carburetor, I mean, not in the dishwasher.

It seemed like a good idea at the time.

The Chief Of Staff was not home at the time.

I didn't tell her about it, either.

I'm not sure, but I think I got away with it.

-- Alan Cole, McLean (Fairfax County), Virginia, USA.​

What's my silence worth to you, Alan? : }

 

[wackymother]

Karen, I've put some not-dishwasher-safe items in the dishwasher. But I put them on the top rack and then run JUST the rinse-and-hold cycle (six minutes) with nothing else in the washer and no soap in the dispenser.

Then I immediately remove the item and either let it dry in the sun (I did this with a wicker basket that was dusty) or scrub it down using a clean, new Scotch-Brite pad (I did this with a wooden cutting board). The heat of the washer water softened the top of the board a bit so the scrubbie took off all the gunk. Don't try this with a really good board that you don't want to lose and I don't know if I'd try it with a glued butcher-block type board, either. Mine is not glued. Good luck!

 

[grest]

Mine goes in regularly too...so far so good.

Connie

 

[susieq]

What's my silence worth to you, Alan? : }

Was thinking the same thing!!! ​

Sue

 

[Kal]

I have a very nice butcher block cutting board that is rarely used. The knife cuts are a huge breeding ground for bacteria and vermits. I doubt very seriously the custom spray with an aqueous chlorine bleach solution would be a cure.