Stanley Tucci Swears by This Cutting Board Cleaning Hack—But Should You?

What’s the right way to clean a wooden cutting board? According to Stanley Tucci, it’s grabbing a knife at 7:45 on a Monday morning and dragging it along the surface to scrape off the “gross” top to reveal a new smooth, shiny surface underneath, which is then oiled. Back in September, the actor and famous foodie—who loves to post recipes inspired by his Italian heritage—shared this cleaning hack to Instagram. But should we actually be scraping our cutting boards with knives to clean them? Probably not—here’s why.

Is a knife the best way to clean a cutting board?

One of the key issues with Tucci’s method is the damage it could be doing to the knife. Scraping the board with the knife’s blade can dull or damage the edge, making it less effective for cutting. This could lead to frequent sharpening, reducing the knife’s lifespan. Knives should always be kept sharp—blunt blades can increase the risk of injury. This is because more pressure is needed to cut, which increases the risk of slipping and cutting yourself.

But sharp knives are also important for chopping, too. “The difference between a good knife and a bad knife is startling,” notes food writer and editor Lucas Oakeley for Mob. “Try and dice an onion with a butter knife and you’ll quickly find that out for yourself. Not only can a well-made knife help make you a better cook, but it can also make you enjoy cooking a lot more, too.”

Stanley Tucci

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Of course, you don’t have to use your best knife for Tucci’s technique. For example, a Homes & Gardens writer tried out the method using an old blunt knife instead. After that, they smothered it with olive oil and left it to dry overnight. They were pleased with the results, but said it was “time-consuming.”

“Armed with my knife, I began scraping away at the top layer of my chopping board and was surprised at how easily the wood peeled away thinly,” the piece reads. “Granted, the board I was cleaning was a lot smaller than Tucci’s, but it worked in just the same way. I continued scraping until the board was an even color, before tipping the shavings into the trash.”

It’s also important to note that while the results can be satisfying, dragging a knife across a board can scratch it, reducing its overall quality. And of course, the process in itself also presents a safety risk; just as with chopping, it’s easy to slip and cut yourself.

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What’s the right way to clean a cutting board?

Tucci doesn’t show himself cleaning his cutting block with soap and water, but this could simply be a step that was missed from the video. Knife scraping alone won’t sanitize the board, which is essential for reducing the risk of foodborne illness.

According to the US Department of Agriculture (USDA), all cutting boards should be cleaned with hot, soapy water every time they are used. After that, they should be rinsed and patted dry with clean towels or left to air dry. Many cutting boards can also be placed in the dishwasher.

Washing a cutting board is imperative, as it helps to keep harmful bacteria out of the kitchen. “Usually there are about 200 times more fecal bacteria on the average cutting board than on a toilet seat,” Charles P. Gerba, PhD, Professor of Microbiology at the University of Arizona, told BBC.

In 2024, Lisa Ackerley, CEnvH, FRSPH of the Global Hygiene Council told The Mirror: “People pay lots of attention to the toilet, using lots of disinfectant and think that is the dirtiest place in the house. But in nearly every study I have been a part of, it is the kitchen where the most dangerous bacteria lurk. Raw meat, raw vegetables, and poultry are the culprits.”

Examples of the types of illness-causing strains of bacteria that can linger on cutting boards include salmonella, listeria, and E.coli—these are not just present in animal foods, but also in many vegetables, too. 

As well as thorough cleaning, the USDA also advises replacing worn cutting boards with scratches and grooves, as they are harder to clean and can harbor bacteria more easily.