Smells and stains on your chopping board – onion, garlic and beetroot
Time: about 15 min
Onion and garlic leave a smell, beetroot leaves colour. With salt, lemon and a little patience the board freshens up again – and some of the colour simply becomes patina.
Short answer
Rinse the board straight after cutting onion, garlic or beetroot, then wash it with warm water and a little washing-up liquid. If a smell or colour remains, sprinkle coarse salt over the surface and rub it with half a lemon, leave it for a few minutes, then rinse and dry. Let the board dry standing up and oil it once it is completely dry. Not every stain will disappear completely.
What you need
- Coarse salt
- Half a lemon
- Warm water and a little washing-up liquid
- Dish brush
- Tea towel
- Paraffin oil (PAO-050)
How to do it
- Rinse straight awayRinse the board as soon as you have finished cutting, before the beetroot juice has time to dry in and the smell settles.
- Wash in warm waterWash both sides with warm water, a little washing-up liquid and a dish brush. Often that is enough to get rid of the smell.
- Salt and lemonIf a smell or colour remains, sprinkle coarse salt over the surface and rub it with the cut side of half a lemon. The salt scrubs gently and the lemon freshens.
- Leave it, then rinseLeave the mixture for a few minutes, then rinse off the salt and lemon with water and dry the board with a tea towel.
- Dry and oilLet the board finish drying upright. Oil it once it is completely dry, especially if you have treated it several times.
- Prevent it next timeConsider keeping one board, or one side, for onion, garlic and beetroot, and another for bread and fruit.
Common mistakes
- Letting beetroot juice dry in before the board is rinsed.
- Soaking the board overnight to get rid of the smell.
- Oiling the board while it is still damp after the treatment.
Why smells and colour settle into wood
Wood has open fibres that take up juices and aromas from whatever you cut. The longer the juice sits, the deeper it goes. A well-saturated, oiled surface absorbs less, and salt and lemon help lift what is sitting in the surface.
FAQ
How do I get a garlic smell out of a chopping board?
Wash with warm water and washing-up liquid. If the smell lingers, rub with coarse salt and half a lemon, leave for a few minutes and rinse.
Do beetroot stains come out completely?
Not always. The colour tends to fade with washing and use, and whatever remains becomes part of the board's patina.
Why does the board still smell after washing?
The aromas from onion and garlic settle in the surface of the wood. Salt and lemon usually tone the smell down, but a faint scent can linger for a while.
Do I need a separate board for onion and garlic?
It isn't essential, but a separate board, or one side kept for strong flavours, means your bread and fruit won't taste of onion.
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