DIY Cutting-Board Lemon Scrub

Lately, I've been finding random uses for lemons. Aside from helping us quench our thirst and jazzing up our cooking, lemons are great for homemade cleaning tricks and products. And an object that I feel always needs a good scrub is my wooden cutting board. 

Do you own a wooden cutting board? I do, and I often find myself eyeballing it, wondering how best to clean it. Somehow, simply washing it with soap and water doesn't seem to do the trick. Even after attacking it with rag and suds, I just feel--in my bones--that the board isn't as clean as it should or could be. If you know me, you know I'm a wee bit obsessive about keeping things clean, tidy, and germ-free. (Note: this bamboo cutting board is my veggie-cutting board. I have a separate, plastic one for cutting meats.) 

Then, the other day, I was seized with a thought. My wood polish has lemon in it...so...can I use lemon juice to clean my cutting board? A few Internet searches later, I came up with the method, below, for cleaning my cutting board. And I have to say, I was impressed with the results. 

What you'll need:

a cutting board in need of a scurb

salt 

baking soda

half a lemon

Sprinkle the salt and baking soda all over your cutting board.

Then, squeeze some of the juice from your lemon on top of that. It will sizzle and bubble. 

The first time I did this, I was a bit suspicious of the bubbling, but it was fine!

Still squeezing the lemon slightly, scrub the half-lemon over the salt and powder mix.

Then, let the juice and salt sit on the wood for about 5 minutes.

Using a knife or some other sharp-edged instrument, scrape off the reside

When done, wipe down with a damp cloth or sponge.

The cutting board not only smelled clean, it looked clean and smooth. I was pretty impressed with the end result! I'm definitely going to be re-using this method and wanted to share it with others!

Do you have any favorite DIY house-keeping tips or tricks? Have you ever tried out this method or one similar? Let me know in your comments! I'm always eager to learn something new to make life a little simpler!