This cleaning hack gets rid of cutting board stains with just 3 ingredients

How To
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You only need these 3 things to remove stubborn stains

woman washing a stained cutting board in the sink
(Image credit: Shutterstock)

Whether you’re prepping ingredients for a delicious meal or making a sandwich, it’s essential to have one of the best cutting boards.  But if your go-to, plastic cutting board has stubborn stains, this can start to look unappealing. This is especially the case when cutting highly-pigmented veggies such as red peppers, beetroot or even juicy tomatoes. 

Besides scrubbing it out with bleach, there is a quick and non-toxic way of getting rid of stains — also keeping it germ-free and spotless. What’s more, this hack will only require three, household ingredients that you’ll already have in your kitchen. Plus, it will save you a fortune on expensive, stain-removal products. 

This latest ‘CleanTok’ hack is making the rounds for one simple trick. Posted by @elnazhamai, she shares her easy hack for cleaning and removing stains from a plastic cutting board.

Best of all, you’ll only need a lemon, salt and baking soda. All of which are known for their “miracle”, cleaning powers, based on their natural components. 

Cutting board stain hack

The user demonstrates by cutting a lemon in half, before sprinkling the salt evenly onto the stained, plastic cutting board. Next up, she sprinkled baking soda directly on top of the salt.

Then, she rubbed the mixture with the lemon half — essentially, using it as a scrubber to lift out the stain. This will also release the juice from the lemon to create a paste. Allow the paste to sit on the cutting board for about 10 minutes, or more, depending on the stain. 

Then she simply rinsed the cutting board thoroughly in water and dried to reveal a stain-free cutting board. Quick and easy!

Another useful tip is to create a white vinegar solution. Simply mix 50:50 white vinegar and water into a spray bottle. Pour it onto the stained area, before letting it sit for a few minutes. Next, scrub the board with the solution until the stain has gone, then rinse thoroughly with warm water. This should leave your cutting board stain-free and clean. 

And if your cutting board is smelly from foods such as fish or other lingering odors, cut a lemon in half and rub it over the surface. Leave to sit for around two minutes before wiping off with a clean damp cloth. The lovely citrus will help to banish odors and make it smell fresh. 

Plus, if you have a heavy-duty board, check out how to clean a wooden cutting board and get rid of stains. 

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Cynthia Lawrence
Cynthia Lawrence
Content Editor, Homes

As the Homes Content Editor, Cynthia Lawrence covers all things homes, interior decorating, and garden-related. She has a wealth of editorial experience testing the latest, ‘must-have’ home appliances, writing buying guides and the handy ‘how to’ features. 


Her work has been published in various titles including, T3, Top Ten Reviews, Ideal Home, Real Homes, Livingetc. and House Beautiful, amongst many.


With a rather unhealthy obsession for all things homes and interiors, she also has an interior design blog for style inspiration and savvy storage solutions (get rid of that clutter!). When she’s not testing cool products, she’ll be searching online for more decor ideas to spruce up her family home or looking for a great bargain!