Does a dishwasher get hot enough to actually sterilize a wooden cutting board?

There is always controversy in my extended family about which is better: acrylic or wooden cutting boards. The anti-woody's say that a dishwasher can't disinfect a wooden one, making it unsafe to use for meat.

Public Comments

1. Some models do. Usually models that have a sanitizing cycle will have a selection on the control panel. I have a Maytag dishwasher and it has a sanitize button on it.
2. Dishwashers do not sterilize anything as they do not get hot enough, nor are they clean enough inside. They wash. If you want sterile, you have to use a steam autoclave and vacuum package things that come out in a sterile environment. A wood board should NOT be put in a dishwasher - as it absorbs too much water, taking filth deep into the board. The best thing is a plastic/acrylic board, or even the plastic cutting sheets you can throw away periodically. These can be scrubbed , are not porous, and do not absorb grease and filth.
3. wipe it with bleach and be done with it
4. yes it does it gets over 80 degrees in there.I don't use wooden cutting boards any more because they do hold alot more germs than the plastic ones.But to each there own.
5. Since I've never used anything but a wooden cutting board and never caught some terrible disease, my vote is for keeping it. I'm just very careful not to use it for meat prior to fruits and veggies, which alway get prepared first. It gets washed with soap and water and is allowed to completely dry prior to the next use. As far as the dishwasher goes, all dishwasher powder (gel or whatever) contains oodles of bleach, and will kill every germ it comes in contact with. The water doesn't "push the bad stuff" farther into the wood.
6. i just bought a brand new dishwasher and it says no wood products, like spoons or cutting boards
7. Unless you sterilize it after every use, you are just kidding yourself. With a plastic or similar board, it is easier to clean and sterilize every time it is used. There are no pores or deep cuts to harbor bacteria as it the case with wood. Bleach will do it in minute or so. You only have to get salmonella once to regret not being careful with your cutting board.
8. Some models will sterilize dishes to a degree (99.9%)(Sani-Rinse) but I doubt if it would work on pourous items like cutting boards. And wooden items should not be put in electric dishwashers anyway because the extreme heat can damage them.( causes cracking, dehydration and splitting of wood) I think plastic cutting boards are much better than wooden ones And regardless of what a cutting board is made out of, it should be cleaned before each use. Even if you had a dishwasher that sterilized a cutting board, the moment you put your hands on it, place it on the counter or put it back in the cupboard it's not sterile anymore. I just clean my plastic cutting board with soft scrub and bleach and rinse it very well.
9. Wood can never be sterilized. It is to porous. And you should never put wood in a dishwasher. It might not ruin it the first time or two, but it will definitely reduce the longevity of the wood. Hot soapy water and letting it dry thoroughly before each use is the best way to go. I do not think that wood boards should not be in the kitchen, but I do think it is a bad idea to use it with meat. Every kitchen should have at least two boards. One for meat and one for everything else. Just make sure the whole family know which is for which. It is just an easy precaution that could possible save you from a horrid visit to the bathroom and I definitely think it is worth it.
10. I have a simple solution=3 cutting boards 1. My gramma's bread board, used for bread only! 2. Thick plastic for cutting veggies and fruits. 3. Thin plastic for cutting meat, immediately washed with soft scrub w/bleach. My kitchen...my rules. Everyone knows the cutting board rules, so simple it is! i wouldn't put my wood board in the dishwasher because of the chemical cleaners--are they absorbed into the wood, leaving residue? I know they will dry out the unfinished wood.
11. If you put a wooden cutting board in the dishwasher, it will get ruined. Just wash it with a 30% bleach solution to sanitize. There was a study done that showed plastic cutting boards have way more germs than a wooden one.