Ever thought about cleaning your chopping board at 7am? We can't say it's top of our radar pre-coffee, but Stanley Tucci has inspired us to try.
Deep cleaning wooden chopping boards is one of those tasks that often falls to the bottom of the to-do list, and it can be tricky to know exactly how to keep them in tip-top condition. This means that knowing how to clean a wooden cutting board is essential to ensure that it stays as sanitary as possible for your food prep. Plus, it pays to take good care of your kitchenware so that it lasts for longer.
There are various methods for cleaning a wooden chopping board out there and Stanley Tucci has added another choice into the equation. Armed with a knife and a wooden board, he shocked fans as he scraped down the top layer of grime. It looks satisfying, but is this technique just going to ruin your knives? Let's see whether Stanley Tucci's hack really is worthwhile.
Should you try Stanley Tucci's chopping board cleaning technique?
Just like the comments under Stanley Tucci's Instagram reel and TikTok, we were just as surprised as others were when he began to scrape away at the top of the chopping board with a knife.
It's equally extremely satisfying to watch the top layer of grime be removed, leaving a fresh chopping board behind. But why is this technique any better than using salt and lemon? And will it just damage your knives?
In the video, Stanley explains to his wife Felicity Blunt (off camera) how he couldn't stand the sight of the dirty and worn chopping board any longer and took to scraping it down in the morning before taking the kids to school. I'm sure we all know that feeling when you spot something amiss and then can't do anything else before fixing it.
Using the sharp edge of the knife, Stanley explains how he is scraping off the top layer and will then oil it afterwards to bring the wood back to life. This removes any food residue, such as from meat, that could cause cross-contamination.
Scraping a wooden chopping board can also help smooth out scratched surfaces, so if your board is looking a little worse for wear, this is a great way of giving it a new lease of life. After all, if you're also using a chopping board as way to add rustic and warm decor then you'll want it to look sleek and fresh.
The comments under the video have shown that fans aren't as impressed with his cleaning hack. Many commented that it was simply damaging the knife and that so many other tools do the same job just as well.
'Great to see Stanley taking the time to look after his kitchen essentials, but even better save yourself the work and avoid blunting the knife with the right cutting surface and tools. For optimum knife performance, we always recommend heat-treated, solid wood chopping boards and premium, long-lasting knives made from German steel,' explains Carl Branigan, country head at WÜSTHOF UK.
Ideal Home's Kitchen Appliances Editor, Molly Cleary, echoes this view: 'In my eyes, Stanley Tucci can do no wrong, but any use of a knife like this will ultimately cause the blade to be dulled. I think that in this video he's using an older knife that doesn't double up for cooking purposes, but I can see why it still offends some people's eyes.'
'If your knives are precious to you, definitely look into another alternative for shaving your chopping boards, as there are plenty of tools out there. Dough scrapers, for example, are a great choice.'
Of course, you can simply sharpen your knives after using them for a chore like this, but we're looking for tricks that reduce work in the kitchen, rather than adding more jobs on. So ultimately, Stanley Tucci has shown us that this is a wooden chopping board cleaning hack that actually works, but if you'd rather keep your knives in their best condition then buying a specialist tool is the answer.
Whether you want to invest in a new wooden chopping board or try the hack yourself, you can shop our favourite picks below.
Will you give it a try?
