Wooden cutting boards:
If your cutting board is made from wood, you will want to hand wash it immediately after use.

You will want to clean your wooden cutting boards with hot water and a mild dish soap, then you will want to dry them completely.

Do not put wooden cutting boards away wet, this is an invitation for bacteria to form.

With wooden cutting boards, you will also want to periodically clean them with coarse salt. Scrub away with this salt, it acts as a natural abrasive. You will then want to use lemon juice, which kills odors and has a bleaching property. However, lemon juice is an acid, and can damage the wood, so after you clean it with the lemon juice be sure to rinse it off really well, and rub it off with a damp cloth, then let it dry.

Do not put wooden cutting boards into the dishwasher and never soak them in water. Why? Wooden cutting boards will absorb the water, and this can cause them to crack, split, or even develop mold. It also means that bacteria will get down into the inner fibers of the board, and make them not as sanitary. So, rinse, dry, wash by hand.

To keep your wooden cutting board from drying out, you will want to rub it periodically with a food-safe mineral oil. Be sure it is food safe or you could poison yourself, or at least make yourself very sick. You can find food safe mineral oil at a hardware store or a home supply store.

Oil brand new boards once a week for a month, then every month for a year, then after that you can oil it whenever it feels like the wood is parched. To oil the boards you will want to use a fine steel wool to rub the oil in, then let it sit for five minutes or so, then wipe the excess oil off with a dry cloth.

Any cutting board:
No matter what kind of cutting board you use, if it develops a deep scratch, hard to clean groove, or a crack, it is time to replace it. Throw it out. Why? These scratches, cracks and grooves harbor bacteria which is harmful to your health.

Now you know how to care for your cutting boards properly, it is not a difficult process, but it is an important one, so never underestimate the power of a clean work surface, especially when it is a surface used for preparing things that will enter your body and fuel your existence. Your cutting boards are as important to get clean as your silverware, so do not take short cuts, rather do a thorough job, and be especially careful with your wooden cutting boards. When in doubt, throw it out, and get a new one, this is a safe practice, and a good habit to get into.