# Facing selecting a good cutting board. Chop onions and garlic daily. Have found bamboo retains odors



## cheeserules (Jun 10, 2009)

Have used wood, plastic, bamboo and now masonite. Wonder what most people prefer.


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## foodpump (Oct 10, 2005)

IKea.  Get a couple of cheap nylon ones just for garlic and onions. The smell washes off of nylon a bit better than wood--but you'll never really get the smell off unless you baking soda, then bleach it overnight before a long bath in the d/washer.


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## boar_d_laze (Feb 13, 2008)

Bamboo is not actually wood, it's grass. Because it's so very hard and springy, and because bamboo construction requires so much glue to keep the stalks together, bamboo boards are very hard on your knives' edges. Plastic and nylon boards are worse.

If you care about your knives, you'll go with high-quality wood boards.

In my experience, wood boards do not noticeably transfer onion or garlic taste or smell as long as they're kept clean. I chop or slice onions, and sliver or smash garlic on my wooden boards for almost every meal. I wipe my boards with a damp rag or clean, damp sponge during prep, and wipe them completely clean afterwards. I wipe my knives at least as frequently. If something seems to stick to a board more tenaciously than a rag can handle, I'll use a little hot, soapy water and a soft scouring pad to remove it. Other than spritzing the boards with a mild disinfectant solution after cutting raw meat, and oiling them monthly, that's about it.

My sliced strawberries do not taste of garlic nor _vice versa_.

On the other hand, some people are very sensitive to garlic and onion smells.

BDL


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