In contrast, bacteria sit on the hard plastic cutting board surface, ready to attack the next food item. Also, hand scrubbing with hot water and soap can clear microbes from the surface of new or used wooden cutting boards and new plastic ones, but knife-scared plastic boards are resistant to decontamination by hand washing. This does not mean that you can trust wood cutting boards to completely decontaminate them selves or that plastic ones are worthless. Caution must be taken when using any type of cutting board. All cutting boards, and other food surfaces, should be kept dry when not in use.
Resident bacteria survive no more than a few hours without moisture.
A mild bleach solution will decontaminate plastic and other surfaces. But even at full strength, bleach does not sanitize wood cutting boards. The disinfectant quality of bleach is neutralized by the organic composition of wood. A good procedure for disinfecting both wood and plastic cutting boards, as well as other surfaces and utensils, is to spray them first with a mist of vinegar, then with a mist of hydrogen peroxide. This combo kills bacteria on meat and produce, too, without hurting the food.