Strong garlic smell

[rahimlee54]

I have a garlic smell I can't seem to get out of my board I have hit it with lemon, salt, 50/50 vinegar and water, and bleach wipes. Should I try something else, the lemon has worked the best and the smell and taste or faint but still there. Is there anything else I should do or just more of the same and that will work eventually.

Thanks
Jared

 

[UnConundrum]

Try a baking soda paste. Let it sit on the board a bit.

 

[Smarcus]

Try a baking soda paste. Let it sit on the board a bit.

How long is "a bit"? 10 minutes, 1 hour, over night?

I have the same issues and lemon and salt are the best I've come up with but I'd like something better.

Thanks.

 

[ThEoRy]

I don't know if this helps or not but rubbing your hands with stainless steel will remove onion and garlic smell from them. Don't ask me how it works, I just know it does. Maybe rub a small flat sheet of stainless steel on the board with some water?

 

[Pensacola Tiger]

I've used a baking soda paste left overnight to good effect. Scrub the board well before you apply the baking soda.

 

[DWSmith]

The baking soda suggestion are the best that I know of and I could not have said it better. If the soda doesn't work, you could always try a coating of salt overnight to see if that helps.

 

[Vertigo]

you could always try a coating of salt overnight to see if that helps.

The salt trick works great. I do a lot of cooking with loud flavors like garlic and curry, and so my boards tend to get... ugh... "infused" with flavor. Basically just coat it in a thick paste of kosher salt and water, let it stand overnight, and in the morning scrape the board off with a dough knife before rinsing it and retreating with oil/wax.

Not sure if it's an FDA approved method or not, but it kills the smells fast!

 

[add]

Baking soda slurry has worked well for me on Dave's Cherry block.

Perhaps different woods may respond differently to various food chemicals and neutralizing agents...

 

[DWSmith]

Jared,

Has the baking soda worked?

 

[so_sleepy]

I've used the baking soda overnight treatment before. This is the only thing that was effective at deodorizing my cherry board (also tried salt, lemon juice, and other internet advice.) However the second time I used the baking soda, it darkened/discolored the board in an unattractive way.

 

[rahimlee54]

I gave it a go last night and scrapped it off this morning, the smell is really faint now I hit it with bleach and water approx. 50/50 I'll give it a sniff tonight and if all is good I'll seal it up. I think I just need to be a little more diligent with my oiling and waxing. Probably another 2-3 cleanings with the soda and it will be odor free.