DANGER! Should You Toss Your Cutting Board?

Posted by Nadine Williams

How many dangerous cutting boards do you own? Probably more than you think. If yours are past their prime it might be time to toss. Here are the 4 signs to be on the look out for.

Did you know that cutting boards can harbor more germs than a toilet seat? Plastic, bamboo, and wood boards past their prime (or not maintained) are the cause.

So how do you know if your board is past its prime? We put together a graphic to help you with that (below)! Generally, you just need to be on the lookout for these signs:

Cracks and Splits— Caused by dropping, dishwashing or mishandling. Unfortunately, there isn’t a good solve for this. It’s time to toss!
Etched (Deep Grooves) on Plastic Boards—Although you can put plastic boards in the dishwasher, deep grooves hold bacteria that even the dishwasher can’t help. It’s time to toss!
Stains—Although stains can be a sign that your board needs to be protected (wood) or well-cleaned (plastic), they can be easily cleaned. Download our Ultimate Cutting Board Care Guide for some simple solves.
Weathered and Dry (wood)— This is a sign of problems to come! Now is the time to protect your board before it board warps or cracks.
Deep Scars— For plastic boards, this is a showstopper, but wood and bamboo boards have the advantage of being able to be refinished!

So, are you thinking… YIKES, all of my boards are bad?!? Yep—we’ve been there, too! Not only is it a lot of money that you have to toss out, but it is a feeling of complete failure! In fact, that is one of the reasons we created our Wood Butter product years ago. We had been using mineral oil to season our cutting boards. Not only is this not the healthiest choice, but it didn’t moisturize our wood cutting boards very well either! Just from regular use and washing, our boards were getting dry and cracked after only a month or so.

Cutting board oil before and after

What was the solve? In our Wood Butter, we used a high-quality organic coconut oil that won’t go rancid, organic beeswax that will block water and germs from getting into the surface, and organic essential oils that add extra antibacterial power. Cue the organ music—we had found the secret to easy wooden cutting board maintenance!

The truth is, if you protect your wooden cutting boards, they should last for a very, very long time.

Is it time to say a sweet goodbye to some of your old cutting boards? A new, fresh, well-protected wood board is one of the healthiest ways to keep your family and kitchen safe. Take the time to toss the boards that need to be tossed, and protect the boards that are showing signs of age. And don’t forget to download our Ultimate Cutting Board Care Guide— make cutting board care easy!