A wooden knife block is a storage device used to hold a set of kitchen knives for food preparation. It is often made of hardwood, such as cherry, oak, or maple. It has numerous slots to cover and protect the knives from damage to the blades. Some blocks may be designed to hold only knives, while others may have spaces for sharpening steel as well.
You should know how to clean a wooden knife block to keep it in good condition every time.
Cleaning a Wooden Knife Block
Why do you need to clean your knife block and how to clean a wooden knife block?
Knife block can harbor bacteria and serious molds in its dark, hard-to-reach slots. Moisture causes mold and bacteria to grow. You must completely dry and clean your knives before placing them in the knife block to avoid unwanted growth of molds and bacterial in the knife slots.
The process of cleaning a wooden knife block is long, but you will indeed find it helpful. It would be best if you do it at least once a month or whenever necessary. The most important thing to have when cleaning your wooden knife block is a diluted bleach solution, or you can substitute it with hydrogen peroxide or distilled white vinegar.
How To Clean a Wooden Knife Block – Things Needed
- Pipe cleaner or small bottle brush
- Scrubby sponge or brush
- Dish soap
- Dishcloths
- Scraper
- Bleach
Instructions
- Take out all the knives – To thoroughly clean the wooden knife block, you need to take your knives out of the block.
- Clean the slots – Hold the wooden block and turn it over. Shake it to take out any crumbs, then turn it back up and use a pipe cleaner to get access into those slots to remove remaining residual crumbs stuck in there.
- Clean the outside of the knife block with soapy water – Moisture is what makes the mold grow, so avoid using too much water when cleaning the wood knife block. You may use a brush, water, and soap while gently scrubbing the outside of the block.
- Wipe down the knife block with a clean, damp cloth – After thoroughly cleaning the outside part of the wooden knife block, wipe it with a moist, clean, and damp cloth.
- Use a scraper to eliminate excess moisture and soap residue – Run a scraper along all the sides of your block to ensure that you get rid of all the water and soap, and wipe it again with a clean and dry cloth.
- Let the block dry completely – Completely dry the wooden knife block (preferably overnight) before sanitizing it with a bleach solution.
- Clean the outside of the block with bleach – Make a bleach solution, dilute a teaspoon of bleach with four cups of water. Using the bleach solution, clean the outside of the wooden knife block using a scrub brush.
- Use a pipe cleaner in cleaning the slots – Use a pipe cleaner or a bottle brush to clean the inside spaces with the bleach solutions.
- Wipe down the block with a clean, dry cloth – After cleaning the wooden knife block slots, wipe it with a clean, damp cloth to help it dry faster.
- Let the block dry – Let the knife block set of at least 12 hours to dry completely.
- Put your knives back – Your wooden knife block is ready to use; put your clean, dry knives in the slots.
If your wooden knife is moldy and the above procedures did not help eliminate the molds, you may need to sand the block with fine sandpaper.
Knowing the steps on how to clean a wooden knife block will ensure that your knife is safe to use for food preparation anytime.
How to Keep the Knife Block Clean
Aside from regularly cleaning the wooden knife block to keep it safe from molds and bacteria, washing your knife every other use and drying it thoroughly before putting back in the slot is another way of keeping the knife block clean.
Knives are dirty after using them. Placing it back into the block without cleaning and drying can make the bacteria and molds grow in the knife slots, that is why it is essential to extremely clean and dry your knife before putting them back into the slots. Here’s how to learn more about wooden knives.
Conclusion
Cleanliness is what will make people safe and healthy, especially at home. Mostly, the wooden knife block is being neglected due to some reasons. Knowing how important it is to clean the knife block and how to clean a wooden knife block will be an advantage to anyone. Regularly cleaning the knife block and doing it the right way will make the preparation of your food clean and safe.