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If you want to clean a wooden chopping board properly, wash it by hand within 2 minutes of use with hot water and mild washing up liquid, then dry it upright for at least 12 hours before storing. Never soak it or put it in the dishwasher, or you can warp or crack the wood in as little as 3 to 6 months. Why wooden chopping boards need different care Wood behaves differently to plastic or glass. It absorbs a little water, it can swell and shrink, and it benefits from regular oiling. That might sound like extra work, but...

Chopping boards can harbour up to 200 times more bacteria than a toilet seat if they’re poorly maintained, which is why choosing the right material and caring for it properly is essential for a safe kitchen. If you’re wondering what’s the best chopping board for a cleaner, lower germ kitchen, a well sealed wooden or bamboo board that’s washed within 10 minutes of use and dried upright is usually the most hygienic everyday choice. Why do chopping boards harbour germs in the first place? Germs love three things: moisture, food residue and tiny hiding places. Chopping boards, especially older plastic...

If you are wondering what the best chopping board is for keeping your knives sharp for longer, the answer is simple: a well made wooden board typically keeps an edge 20 to 30 percent longer than a plastic board used in the same way. That difference comes down to how the board material interacts with the very thin cutting edge of your knife. Why do plastic boards dull knives faster? It feels counterintuitive, because plastic seems softer than wood. Yet many home cooks notice their favourite chef's knife losing its bite after just a few weeks on a plastic board....