Can I mix?Reviewed: 2025-12-27~1 min

Can I mix baking soda and lemon juice to clean stained cutting boards in rentals?

Short answer

⚠️Depends / use caution

It depends—on the board’s material, the type of stains, and your rental’s rules about cleaners and surfaces.

Why people ask this

In rentals, you may want a low-cost, low-odor way to refresh stained cutting boards without risking your security deposit. You also might not know the board’s material or the countertop type your landlord installed, which affects whether lemon’s acidity is safe. People hear that baking soda and lemon fizz together and hope it lifts stains and deodorizes. They’re also looking for something gentler than bleach, especially in small shared kitchens with limited ventilation.

When it might be safe

For plastic or polypropylene boards with light stains, using a quick scrub of a fresh lemon plus baking soda paste in the sink, then rinsing well.
On sealed wood or bamboo boards for surface discoloration only, with a brief contact time (1–3 minutes), followed by a thorough rinse and immediate drying.
When you protect rental countertops (use a sink or tray) so lemon juice doesn’t touch marble/granite, and you avoid seams of butcher-block counters.
If the board hasn’t touched raw meat recently and you just need cosmetic stain or odor reduction between tenants or roommates.
When your lease or house rules allow mild acidic cleaners and fragrances, and you keep the kitchen ventilated to avoid lingering lemon scent.

When it is not safe

Using on or near marble, limestone, or some granite countertops common in rentals—the lemon can etch and dull stone if drips occur.
Deeply scarred or unsealed wooden butcher-block boards where acid and abrasion can raise the grain, strip oil/finish, and worsen stains.
Situations requiring sanitation (e.g., after raw poultry) where cosmetic cleaning isn’t enough; this mix doesn’t reliably sanitize.
Boards with mold/black stains or odors embedded in wood fibers—acid plus abrasion can drive moisture deeper without solving the problem.
If your rental agreement bans acidic cleaners or fragrances, or you can’t contain the mix to the sink and risk surface damage.

Possible risks

Etching or dull spots on stone counters from lemon drips, which could count as tenant-caused damage.
Stripping board oil/finish on wood or bamboo, leaving the surface rough and more absorbent.
Neutralizing the acid with baking soda reduces antimicrobial effect, giving a false sense of sanitation.
Lingering lemon scent can attract pests in shared rentals if residue isn’t rinsed away.
Abrasive scrubbing can highlight knife marks on soft woods, making stains appear worse over time.

Safer alternatives

For plastic boards: stain lift and sanitize with 3% hydrogen peroxide or a diluted bleach solution (per label), then rinse; inexpensive and rental-safe when done in the sink.
For wood/bamboo: use a baking soda + mild dish soap paste or coarse salt + lemon (spot-treated), then dry and re-oil with food-grade mineral oil.
Sunlight or peroxide-based oxygen cleaner for stain reduction without strong fragrances; keep it off stone counters.
Light sanding (fine grit) on wooden boards to remove surface stains, then recondition; avoid if the board belongs to the landlord.
Use a dishwasher-safe plastic board for raw meats and keep a separate, oiled wood board for produce; replace cheap plastic boards rather than over-scrubbing.
Disposable cutting mats for short-term rental stays to avoid risking countertop or board damage.

Bottom line

In rentals, the baking soda–lemon mix can help with light, cosmetic stains on plastic or sealed wood if you work in the sink, keep contact time short, and protect counters. Skip it for sanitation needs, soft/unfinished wood, or anywhere lemon could touch stone. When in doubt, use peroxide or dish soap-based methods and re-oil wood.