Old timer at the shop told me to stop rinsing my cutting boards with hot water

I had this guy named Hank who used to work at the meat locker in Springfield back in the 80s. He came into the butcher shop I work at now last month just to shoot the breeze. He saw me rinsing my poly board with hot water and soap between cuts of beef and pork, and he just laughed. Said I was basically cooking bacteria into the grain of the board, not washing it out. Told me to use cold water always, then hit it with a vinegar spray before the hot soap pass. I was skeptical, man, I've been doing hot water my whole five years in the trade. But I tried his way for two weeks straight and I swear the boards feel less greasy and don't get that funky smell after a long day. Anyone else ever hear this cold water rule from an old guard butcher, or is Hank just blowing smoke?

2 comments

2 Comments

hernandez.brooke27d agoMost Upvoted

Hold up, is a greasy board really that big of a deal?

sageallen26d agoMost Upvoted

Gotta push back a little here @hernandez.brooke, because yeah a greasy board is kind of a big deal. It's not just about looks - when your grip tape gets all slick from hand oils and dirt, you lose traction for flip tricks and landing clean on rails. I've busted my ass more times than I can count because my board had that nasty film on it, and your feet just slide right off. Plus, that greasy layer actually traps dirt and makes the bearings work harder, so your setup wears out faster overall.