Lemon is the secret to cleaning stubborn stains on plastic and wood cutting boards –– here's how it works

Adamjan, known as creative_explained on TikTok, uploaded the video to his account in September 2020. The "Don't Throw It Out" author told his 5.6 million followers to use just four ingredients to scrub away tough cutting board stains.

I decided to try out the advice on my stained cutting board — courtesy of a recent burrito dinner — to see how it held up. 

You'll need baking soda, hydrogen peroxide, sea salt, and a lemon peel to start. The video didn't list any specific measurements, but I started with around one teaspoon of baking soda, hydrogen peroxide, and sea salt.

I could already see a difference within the first few swipes but kept scrubbing across the board to coat it thoroughly. Don't be surprised if tiny bubbles form due to the mixture.

After a few minutes, I rinsed and discovered that almost all the stains were gone. However, a few discolorations, knife marks, and some older stains remained in some spots. I decided to target specific stains for 15 minutes.

Aside from a few particularly willful stains, Adamjan's hack worked well and is much more cost-efficient than continuously buying new cutting boards.

Kazan, known as Alpha Foodie on TikTok, posted her video on wooden cutting boards in March 2021, and it's since gained more than 372,000 views. She used half a lemon, sea salt, and food-grade mineral oil.

Be careful not to get lemon juice all over the counter or your clothes to avoid a mess. Once it's evenly coated, use a clean towel to wipe it clean, and then let it dry. Although my wooden cutting board didn't have many stains, I did notice how it took on an additional shine after I finished scrubbing.

Kazan said to use a cloth and "season" the wood with the food-grade mineral oil, adding that alternatives like olive oil or vegetable oil will result in the oil going rancid.

In the end, my wooden cutting board glistened and smelled fresher than before I attempted the viral trick.