4 Easy, Natural Ways to Clean and Deodorize a Smelly Cutting Board

4 Easy, Natural Ways to Clean and Deodorize a Smelly Cutting Board

Your cutting board doesn’t have to smell like last week’s garlic.

If your cutting board still smells funky long after you’ve washed it, you likely need a couple of extra steps in your cleaning routine. Most cutting boards are porous, which means they absorb moisture and odor-causing compounds from foods like onions, seafood, or raw meat. Eventually, even regular dish soap can fail to fix the problem. 

Fortunately, those lingering smells can usually be addressed without buying a new cutting board or using harsh chemicals. We spoke with cleaning experts to learn the most effective ways to deodorize cutting boards with simple, mostly natural methods and how to prevent odors from building up in the first place.

Considerations Before You Get Started

Because your cutting boards come into contact with food, it’s generally recommended to avoid disinfectants that contain bleach or quaternary ammonium compounds (aka “quats”). These are strong chemical disinfectants that require careful handling and thorough rinsing.

"If you have to use them, make sure to wear a mask and gloves and rinse your cutting board thoroughly after using them,” says Melissa Lush, a cleaning expert and founder of Force of Nature. Whenever possible, start with gentler methods like salt, vinegar, or baking soda, and reserve harsher cleaners for when odors can’t be resolved otherwise.

To keep most odors at bay, Lush likes using cutting boards made from non-porous materials like HDPE—although it’s plastic, which many people choose to avoid—composite, or less porous woods like bamboo. “If you do use wood, make sure to regularly re-oil the board because a dry board absorbs odors faster than a well-oiled one,” she says. Also, never soak it or leave it wet in the sink: “Water can warp the wood. Dry your board upright.” 

How to Deodorize a Cutting Board With Dish Soap

No matter what food you’ve had on your cutting board, start with a hot soapy scrub right after you’re done cooking. If the board still smells after this initial wash, move on to the other deodorizing hacks.

What You’ll Need

• Dish Soap
• Scrub Brush
• Towel

Steps

“Scrub [your cutting board] with a food-safe dish soap, rinse thoroughly with water, then towel-dry or air-dry,” says Maria Mooney, a cleaning expert and executive director of marketing at Truly Free Home. “I believe in safer alternatives like dish soap that's plant-based and biodegradable and will leave your cutting board spotless.”

How to Remove Odors From a Cutting Board With Baking Soda

If your cutting board smells like cheese, dairy, oily foods, or spices, your best bet is likely a baking soda paste. “A natural deodorizer that always does the trick is baking soda!” says Mooney. “It’s typically in every household and effectively absorbs the odors.” 

What You’ll Need

• Baking Soda
• Water
• Scrub Brush

Steps

“Simply mix the baking soda with a little water to form a paste that you’ll use to scrub into your board,” says Mooney. “Let it sit for about 15 minutes before washing it off thoroughly and setting it to air dry.”

How to Deodorize a Cutting Board With Salt and Lemon

If you’re dealing with onion, garlic, or other strong cruciferous veggie smells, Lush recommends a salt and lemon scrub. This method works best on wood cutting boards; the salt helps lift odors while the acid in the lemon neutralizes lingering smells.

What You’ll Need

• Lemon
• Salt

Steps

“Make a salt and lemon scrub by cutting a lemon in half and dipping the cut side in salt, then scrub the board with the grain,” says Lush. “Let the scrub sit briefly, then rinse thoroughly and dry upright.” Make sure you stand the board completely upright or prop it on its side, since trapped moisture can reintroduce smells. 

How to Deodorize a Cutting Board With Vinegar

For fishy or meaty odors, reach for some vinegar, which serves as a mild sanitizer. But after you complete this step, Lush recommends using an EPA-registered disinfectant to remove any lingering germs. (To confirm, look for an EPA Registration Number—sometimes written as “EPA Reg. No.”—on the label.) “After you clean your cutting board, you’ll also need to disinfect it, which means killing 99.9% of viruses and bacteria,” she says. 

What You’ll Need

• Vinegar
• Dishcloth

Steps

“Wipe or spray your board with vinegar, and let it sit for 5 minutes,” says Lush. Then rinse thoroughly and pat dry. “If the smell still isn’t gone, you can use a paste of baking soda,” she adds. Vinegar works best on non-porous boards and should always be followed by thorough rinsing then drying to prevent lingering moisture.

How to Prevent Odors on Cutting Boards

The most effective way to prevent odors on cutting boards is to keep up with cleaning after each use, according to Mooney. “The odors of stronger smelling ingredients, such as garlic, onions, or meat, will pile up if the board isn’t refreshed on a regular basis,” she says. But even if you’re washing the board frequently, not drying it properly can also lead to odors. “Always dry it completely before storing!” says Mooney.

Also, keep your cutting boards properly disinfected, especially after you use them for meat or fish. Lush recommends a hypochlorous acid-based disinfectant (not bleach or a quaternary ammonium compound-based disinfectant), which is safe on surfaces without rinsing. To properly disinfect your cutting board, first rinse and wipe the board to remove any remaining pieces of food. Then thoroughly spray the surface and let it sit on your board for the amount of time specified on the product label.

Using separate cutting boards for different foods is also important. Keeping one board for produce and another for raw meat or fish helps prevent odors from transferring and lingering, even with regular cleaning.