Cutting boards are essential for meal preparation and knife maintenance. They are your kitchen's most important piece, but they can slip and cause accidents. You need to stabilize a cutting board if it is rocking or tilting. Fortunately, there’s an easy fix to prevent you from having to live through that.
Why Stabilize a Cutting Board?
No matter how good your cutting board is, it is bound to slip. The chances are much higher if your countertops are granite, marble, or porcelain. This is because both your cutting board and counter are two flat and smooth surfaces. If you're cutting something like smoked meat, the cutting movement can destabilize your board and causes it to slip on the smooth surface that offers no resistance.
Slips like this can be dangerous as they are never expected and can result in cuts and injuries. Luckily, once you know how to stabilize a cutting board, you can avoid injury while making delicious meals.
How to Stabilize a Cutting Board
Here are a few ways to keep your board stable and avoid trips to the ER altogether.
Stabilize a Cutting Board: Damp Kitchen Towel
A damp kitchen towel is perhaps the easiest thing to reach for when your cutting board starts to slip in the middle of your meal preparation as it is readily available in any kitchen. This method works best with a quality wooden cutting board. To use one to create more traction between your board and the counter:
- Wet the towel
- Wring until it is completely dry
- Spread the towel
- Place the cutting on top of the towel and continue chopping
While we vouch for this technique, the only downside is that once you wet your towel for this, you can’t use it for other tasks around the kitchen and you’ll have to bring out another towel. It’s a small price to pay for the luxury of safe fingers but hey, we could avoid the extra work altogether.
Remember to NOT leave your cutting board permanently in this state! The moisture will cause the board to warp. As soon as you are done with your meal prep, wash the board and dry it STANDING UP. See our complete guide on how to clean for wood cutting boards.
Damp Paper Towel
Avoid cleaning towels by using a paper towel to stabilize the cutting board. This second-best alternative, the paper towel, is convenient. After all, the only clean-up involves tossing it in the bin. Although it is fast and efficient, it's not eco-friendly nor cost-effective. However, if you’re in a fix, we welcome this idea by all means.
Non-Slip Mat
We love non-slip mats for our drawers and other surfaces around the house but did you know that they can be used to stabilize your boards? Placing a cut-to-size non-slip mat under your cutting board creates the necessary traction between your board and countertop.
This stabilizes your cutting board without elevating your board too much and creating discomfort for you. We love this method as it requires little to no upfront investment as you already have your drawer liners at home, if not you can get some for very little.
The clean-up is also very convenient as you can get this clean very fast under running water, try it, and fold it until you need to use it again. It takes up little storage space too!
Non-Slip Grips
The hardware store is the last place you would expect to find a solution for the slipping cutting boards but when fingers are at risk, every idea counts! We approve of these as a more permanent solution because sometimes there isn't enough time to search for towels or mats. Stick the adhesive side of these grips on the bottom of your board to prevent slipping.
Clip on Feet
These are clip-on feet that are attached to the corners of your board to give an even surface. These are especially convenient when you are using a warped board that needs all the help it can get to be even. However, there is a downside to this technique. If your board isn't premade with feet, the feet could give it a bouncy surface that may be uncomfortable. We recommend purchasing a cutting board that comes pre-made with non-slip grips. Especially if you need an extra large board, this is the way to go.
Our largest board, the end-grain cutting board, comes with feet.
Final Thoughts
In conclusion, stabilizing your cutting board is a simple but important step in ensuring kitchen safety. Use damp towels, non-slip mats, clip-on feet, or non-slip grips to avoid accidents and injuries while preparing meals. Each method has its own benefits, so choose the one that works best for you. Remember, a stabilized cutting board not only prevents injuries but also makes your cutting experience more efficient and enjoyable. So, stabilize your cutting board today and start cooking with confidence!
RELATED PRODUCTS YOU MIGHT LIKE
View our entire collection of dark wood walnut reversible boards - there are many shapes and sizes to choose from. Find your perfect board for your next steak, bbq, stew, or smoked meat!
See Virginia Boys Kitchens On Amazon
We are on Amazon, see our storefront here. Use coupon code VBKBLOG10 for 10% off your entire purchase of any Virginia Boys Kitchens on Amazon. Apply the code at checkout.
