The dishwasher may be a foe to wooden cutting boards, but not to worry — you likely already own the everyday products that will get your board extra clean.

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Studies show that a prewash rinse eliminates enough bacteria so that levels are generally safe — but be sure your other dishes aren't in the splash zone (especially if you've been working with raw meat), or you might contaminate them. And resist the urge to plunge the board into your basin of soapy water. Pathogens will transfer to the water, so you won't be able to use it to clean anything else. Plus, since wood is porous, dunking a board could cause it to split and warp.

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Pour the hydrogen peroxide over the board and distribute it all over the board with a clean sponge. Let it stand for a few minutes as it fizzes and kills germs, and then wipe it off with the clean sponge.

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Dry the board completely and sprinkle it with a good bit of salt or baking soda. Scrub out the stain using a sponge or a brush dipped into hot water. Or, for extra stain-lifting power, use a half of a lemon to do the scrubbing — the acid gives the abrasive baking soda or salt extra oomph.

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