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Should I Throw Out My Colander And Cutting Board?

Kias4

By Kias4
in Coping with Celiac Disease

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Kias4 Apprentice
Kias4
Posted

I just found out that I likely have celiac disease, and I was on a gluten-free diet when I got a positive blood test so obviously cross-contamination is a huge issue for me.  

 

My husband and I are in the process of going through our kitchen and making the necessary changes to ensure I am not ingesting any gluten.  I am wondering if others, when you found out you were celiac, threw out your cutting boards and colanders?  Or is there a way to disinfect them?  We have a very nice wooden cutting board and nice metal colanders and I hate to throw them out.  Any suggestions?

 

Also, what about wooden and plastic kitchen utensils?  Do you throw them out?

 

Thank you!

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kareng Grand Master
kareng
Posted

It's a matter of if you can get them really clean, even in the little holes and cracks. If you think you can get each hole in the colander clean, great! A couple of times through the dishwasher after a good soak in some vinegar and water - might be good enough. Not sure how you can get all the little crumbs out of the wood.

Kias4 Apprentice
Kias4
Posted
  • Author

It's a matter of if you can get them really clean, even in the little holes and cracks. If you think you can get each hole in the colander clean, great! A couple of times through the dishwasher after a good soak in some vinegar and water - might be good enough. Not sure how you can get all the little crumbs out of the wood.

Thank you! I wasn't sure if there was some secret way to get them clean that only celiacs know about. :)  (I was kind of hoping so!)

kareng Grand Master
kareng
Posted

Thank you! I wasn't sure if there was some secret way to get them clean that only celiacs know about. :)  (I was kind of hoping so!)

 

 

I used to use white vinegar and water on my mixer and other things where gluten flour stuck on (pre-Celiac).  

 

You can't "kill" gluten.  You can burn it off in a oven cleaning cycle.  Otherwise you just have to wipe/wash & rinse it off.  And that goes for a gluten eating spouse who wants a little loving!  B)

w8in4dave Community Regular
w8in4dave
Posted

There are alot of us here that buy new pots and pans, get new colanders and also new wooden spoons and cutting boards. You may be very sensitive so if I was you I would either scrub every hole in your colander super good and then do it over and over if you don't want to buy a new one. The wooden spoons and cutting board if they are older I guess it depends on how old they are and how ground in stuff is. Myself it doesn't cost much to replace it. You can donate your other stuff to someone eles or have a garage sale. Help recoup your financial burden of buying new. I did not buy new. But I soaked everything very well and I have a lil wire brush I used on the colander. I finally did buy me my own colander. My husband is not gluten-free. It's hard not having a gluten-free kitchen but I manage just fine. 

cyclinglady Grand Master
cyclinglady
Posted

Since I was diagnosed the same year as my 25th wedding anniversary, I bought lots of stuff! I was worth it and let's face it, my kitchen wares were old. I already was running a partial gluten free kitchen for my hubby, but I deserved some new things! I have to cook a lot!

Can you believe I am still using the same Mr. Coffee with the original carafe? One of my best friends gave it to me and I think of her when I make every pot. I think white is still in fashion and I refuse to replace it. They just do not make things like they did in the olden days!

I would recommend a new toaster, colander, cutting board, wooden spoons and a non-stick frying pan. If your budget and space allows, a freezer for the garage. When our first used freezer broke, my husband did not hesitate to replace it! It contains items bought on sale and gluten-free that I bake and freeze. We never attend a party and have to do without cake!

I like the garage sale idea!

Pegleg84 Collaborator
Pegleg84
Posted

The collander might be salvageable with a really good long diligent cleaning, but the cutting board should definitely be replaced. Anything wooden is too porous to safely get everything out of, I think. Same with plastic, unless is very new.
If your going to have a shared kitchen, maybe your hub can use them instead if he's cooking for himself. Otherwise, find them a good home.

I used my old cutting board for a while after going gluten-free (it had been quite new before I did), and when I replaced it a couple years ago I could swear it made a difference (might just be in my head on that one, but better safe than sorry)

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NatureChick Rookie
NatureChick
Posted

Depends on what kind of colander you have. If it is plastic or is one of those kinds that are fine mesh - I'd toss it or find a way to reuse it elsewhere. (I used my old mesh one to sift for fossils in a river near me.)

If it is one of those metal ones with the big holes, you should be able to get it clean pretty easily.

I got new cutting boards but I've heard of people sanding them - especially good if you have a built-in butcher's block or a big expensive cutting board. Other wood utensils I'd get rid of.

I've heard of people being able to clean and refinish cast iron, but fortunately, I didn't have any to worry about.

I didn't believe the toaster would be a problem right away, but it definitely was. I kept the old one though, so that if I have company come stay with me, I can feed them regular toast to keep them from going through gluten withdrawal while they are at my house.

GFDonna Newbie
GFDonna
Posted

We got rid of all wooden utensils except for two of my husbands favorites that he makes gluten dishes with. If there is white on them I understand that is the flour absorbing into the wood. We never used wood cutting boards because of the difficulty keeping them clean anyway. We use disposable plastic cutting sheets that can go in the dishwasher, they are great for traveling also. My husband loves regular pasta so we saved the plastic colander for that and use silicone for everything else. He forgot one day and drained gluten free pasta in the plastic colander and I got terrible sick all night.

Kias4 Apprentice
Kias4
Posted
  • Author

There are alot of us here that buy new pots and pans, get new colanders and also new wooden spoons and cutting boards. You may be very sensitive so if I was you I would either scrub every hole in your colander super good and then do it over and over if you don't want to buy a new one. The wooden spoons and cutting board if they are older I guess it depends on how old they are and how ground in stuff is. Myself it doesn't cost much to replace it. You can donate your other stuff to someone eles or have a garage sale. Help recoup your financial burden of buying new. I did not buy new. But I soaked everything very well and I have a lil wire brush I used on the colander. I finally did buy me my own colander. My husband is not gluten-free. It's hard not having a gluten-free kitchen but I manage just fine. 

 

Thank you! I ended up getting a new colander and two new cutting boards (one for meat, one for produce). :)

Kias4 Apprentice
Kias4
Posted
  • Author

The collander might be salvageable with a really good long diligent cleaning, but the cutting board should definitely be replaced. Anything wooden is too porous to safely get everything out of, I think. Same with plastic, unless is very new.

If your going to have a shared kitchen, maybe your hub can use them instead if he's cooking for himself. Otherwise, find them a good home.

I used my old cutting board for a while after going gluten-free (it had been quite new before I did), and when I replaced it a couple years ago I could swear it made a difference (might just be in my head on that one, but better safe than sorry)

 

Thank you! I decided to replace them both. :)

Kias4 Apprentice
Kias4
Posted
  • Author

Depends on what kind of colander you have. If it is plastic or is one of those kinds that are fine mesh - I'd toss it or find a way to reuse it elsewhere. (I used my old mesh one to sift for fossils in a river near me.)

If it is one of those metal ones with the big holes, you should be able to get it clean pretty easily.

I got new cutting boards but I've heard of people sanding them - especially good if you have a built-in butcher's block or a big expensive cutting board. Other wood utensils I'd get rid of.

I've heard of people being able to clean and refinish cast iron, but fortunately, I didn't have any to worry about.

I didn't believe the toaster would be a problem right away, but it definitely was. I kept the old one though, so that if I have company come stay with me, I can feed them regular toast to keep them from going through gluten withdrawal while they are at my house.

 

Thank you! I decided to replace them both. :)

BlessedMommy Rising Star
BlessedMommy
Posted

I replaced my own boards and I keep a flexible cutting board at my IL's (because they have bread crumbs around their wooden cutting board quite a bit), but I do eat single ingredient foods cut by other people occasionally (watermelon, veggie trays, cut lettuce and tomatoes, etc.)

MsQuel Newbie
MsQuel
Posted

I just found out that I likely have celiac disease, and I was on a gluten-free diet when I got a positive blood test so obviously cross-contamination is a huge issue for me.  

 

My husband and I are in the process of going through our kitchen and making the necessary changes to ensure I am not ingesting any gluten.  I am wondering if others, when you found out you were celiac, threw out your cutting boards and colanders?  Or is there a way to disinfect them?  We have a very nice wooden cutting board and nice metal colanders and I hate to throw them out.  Any suggestions?

 

Also, what about wooden and plastic kitchen utensils?  Do you throw them out?

 

Thank you!

 

My doctor told me to do this. She also told me to buy my OWN toaster and sometimes, if I was bad for reactions, my own microwave.  Instead, I use the same toaster oven/micro.  I have my own shelf for my own toast which no one is allowed to use.

 

I didn't 100% take her advice though.  I'm sorry I didn't.  But I don't have the money.  One thing I did was I tossed out all my old wooden spoons because I don't know if they would have had any stuck pieces of gluten because of the nature of wood (expands and contracts).

 

I felt OK comfort-wise not tossing out my colander and my wooden cutting board but they aren't allowed for bread.  

 

If my kids use bread, they are to use a ceramic plate (I am thinking I cannot tell them to eat my awful gluten-free breads and I can't afford it anyway).  I am thinking the ceramic will come clean in my washer's tough load cycle.  I am not sure of anything!  Not even of knifes and forks from the dish washer being clean!

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