Cleaning tips for wooden cutting board with mold?

[Jim]

The board was cut from a Guava tree in the Philippines.
It's smooth, 12 inches diameter, and 4 inches thick. Looks cool.

However, the board was soaked in water and has now grown moldy. I've tried spraying it with bleach, but the mold seems to have penetrated deeply.

Any help?

Thank you.

[Pam Leavy]

I just looked it up and found a site that recommended salt and lemon juice.


http://foodservice.chef2chef.net/too...ngWooden.shtml


We used to use salt and ice cubes to clean out the coffee pots when i was waitressing.

the salt and lemon juice idea sounds interesting.

Pam

[amber]

Maybe you could try sanding the wood down to whatever level the mold stops, then use something to treat the wood to protect it?

[Jim]

I'd like to use pure Tung oil extract to protect the wood. Know where I can buy some?

[Andy M.]

I'd use bleach to kill the mold then some treatments with food grade mineral. You can buy that in the drug store in the laxative section

[VM sales rep]

Actually, the best method used for cleaning wood is rinsing the board in chlorine. However, wood in general isn't recommended in the kitchen, due to the fact that it's so porous. It's now illegal to use wooden handled knives and wooden cutting boards in public food preparation. Consumer reports did a study that after using a wood cutting board for more than two months, it's safer to prepare the food on your toilet seat. All kinds of things absorb into wood; grease, bacteria, odor, rot, and just plain grossness.

But you're right, they do look good.

Your best bet is a polypropylene board
-Pat