Is It Better to Use Wooden or Plastic Cutting Boards?

When it comes time to chop veggies or slice up some protein, which cutting board do you reach for? Do you gravitate toward wood or stick with plastic? While some home cooks may swear by one version over another, there are a few important things to know about both wooden cutting boards and plastic ones. Here’s the lowdown on how hygienic they are, plus their benefits and drawbacks. 

Are Plastic Cutting Boards Safer Than Wooden Ones?

It turns out there isn’t one kind of cutting board that’s more hygienic (nor all-around better) than others.

“Both plastic and wood cutting boards are considered safe, durable, and appropriate for all situations,” explains Melissa Vaccaro, senior food safety program specialist for the National Environmental Health Association. “They will both last for years if properly taken care of. It really becomes a matter of preference.”

In terms of hygiene, it comes down to how you care for your cutting boards, rather than the material itself. Staying on top of maintenance keeps them free of microorganisms that could cause foodborne illness.

How to Sanitize Your Cutting Boards

According to the FDA Food Code, all cutting boards—regardless of type—should be cleaned and sanitized after each use; that means any time you’re switching from raw to ready-to-eat foods, or if the board has become contaminated in some way.

There’s one foolproof way to clean both plastic and wooden cutting boards, according to Vaccaro. “The proper process is to wash, rinse, sanitize, and air-dry,” she says. You can do this with a soap or detergent of your choice, followed by a clear water rinse. Then, you can sanitize it with your choice of sanitizer, such as diluted bleach for plastic boards or vinegar for wooden boards. (Note that vinegar does not disinfect, which is a higher level of germ kill than sanitization.)

She advises never to allow wood cutting boards to soak in water, as the wood fibers can absorb too much moisture which results in warping. Plastic cutting boards, meanwhile, can usually be cleaned and sanitized in the dishwasher. 

“There is a reason why restaurants use plastic cutting boards,” says Brian Quoc Le, a food scientist and author of 150 Food Science Questions Answered: Cook Smarter, Cook Better. It boils down to them being easier to clean and sanitize.

When to Get Rid of a Cutting Board

The FDA Food Code also specifies when it’s time to stop using a cutting board. “Surfaces such as cutting blocks and boards that are subject to scratching and scoring shall be resurfaced if they can no longer be effectively cleaned and sanitized or discarded if they are not capable of being resurfaced,” it reads.

In other words, Vaccaro says, when cutting surfaces become scratched and scored, they’re tougher to properly clean. “As a result, pathogenic microorganisms may build up or accumulate and transfer onto food,” she says.

Relatedly, a plastic board with many deep grooves could prove harmful to your health. “Prolonged use of plastic cutting boards can lead to chipping, potentially introducing microplastics into food,” explains Mitzi Baum, CEO of Stop Foodborne Illness.

If you can’t remedy either issue, it’s best to toss the board and get a new one.

What Are the Pros and Cons of Wooden Cutting Boards?

To help you figure out if a wooden cutting board is right for you, consider the pros and cons of the material.