Most of us are pretty good about remembering to wash our hands when preparing food, but washing your cutting boards is also crucial to preventing food poisoning. No matter the type of cutting board - acryllic, glass, marble, plastic or solid wood - they can harbor harmful bacteria and allow for cross-contamination of food to occur.

Follow these guidelines from eatright.org for cleaning cutting boards:

• After each use, clean cutting boards thoroughly in hot, soapy water.
• After cutting raw meats on your board, wash in the dishwasher. If you prefer cleaning by hand, scrub thoroughly with hot, soapy water, rinse thoroughly and then sanitize with a bleach solution (1 tablespoon bleach in 1 gallon of water). If using a dual purpose product, such as a commercial cleaner/sanitizer combination, follow manufacturer's instructions for application.
• Use two cutting boards: one strictly to cut raw meat, poultry and seafood; the other for ready-to-eat foods, like breads and vegetables.
• Discard cutting boards that have cracks, crevices and knife scars.