I really do not worry much re. disinfecting my board, as I do not use it for meat. I use a special plastic one for raw meat and another smaller wood board for slicing cooked meat. These I wash and bleach. My big every day block is used primarily for onions, celery, other veggies, fruit, bread, etc. I wash it lightly with soap and water with a cloth, and drag to sink for a good scrubbing once a week or so, depending on usage it has received.

I'm the same, I have a separate board I use for meat and an 1.5ft square end-grain block that sits next to the sink for everything else. To clean it I stand it next to the sink on it's side and give the areas I've used a scrub with hot water and a tiny amount of soap, then spray it with very hot water. Dry with a clean towel.

The meat board gets scrubbed in the sink with hot water.

I have a very large island of butcherblock (dragging it to the sink for a scrub is not a possibility).

Like leahcate, I don't cut meat on it. Frankly, I wipe it down, scrubbing hard at any gunk left (like from rolling out pizza dough) and use hot water and a clean dishrag. Every now and then I bleach it (really, really seldom). I do make sure I oil it regularly so the wood is not thirsty.

I won't reopen the debate over antibacterial qualities, but I have read enough about what goes on inside the wood to feel safe with my practices. I have been working like this (with a super big cutting surface) for at least the past 10 years; my grandfather used butcherblock his whole life.

Good luck!

Here's info from Chef John's blog on the cleaning and caring of butcher block. Of course I don't follow what he says to do and only use hot soapy water. No problems over 30 years of use!

Here is a link that might be useful: Chef John's blog

Ditto mommycooks & leahcate. Mine's built in, no sink cleaning possible, or, in my opinion, necessary. Enjoy yours!

I don't disinfect my BB counter - or any of my counters for that matter. I use a separate board for meat and I just wash my counters with hot soap and water.

Thanks to all for your kind responses. I guess I fall in with all of you, because I had intended to use the butcher block only for produce and bread products. The block will be next to the prep sink, so hot soapy water will be easy to come by. I'll continue using my polypropylene cutting board for meat and cheese. The poly board is dishwasher safe and also fits inside a half-sheet baking pan; I set the pan in the sink, put the board in the pan, and fill it up with water and chlorine bleach. Fifteen minutes later it looks pristine and is, presumably, germ-free.

Thanks again!

Here's a link to an interesting study on wood versus plastic cutting boards. Their conclusion seems to be that wood used for meat requires less care than plastic.

Here is a link that might be useful: Wood vs Plastic cutting boards

What I do to my cutting boards, every once in a great while, is used kosher salt rubbed in with half a lemon. It deoderizes, and does whatever bacteria killing lemon juice and salt are capable of. Other than that, I don't worry about it. No one's gotten sick at my house.

Ivette

Thanks so much, native_tx, for the link; I've printed it and will save it in my remodel notebook--such good, detailed information.

Pirula, your method seems SOOO easy, with stuff I always have in my house. I'll try it!