When to trash cutting board

[vilasman]

So how do you know when it's time to get a new chopping board? Mine is about 4 yrs old, has a couple of scorch marks from DW putting hot pots on it, has an area where it looks like the stain or the finish has worn off and has two cracks in it.
Is it time?

[kleenex]

What is the chopping board made out of.

[vilasman]

wood, i dont know what variety

[Andy M.]

If there are cracks in the wood, toss it. Food gets into the cracks, bacteria grows, vilasman and DW get sick...

[jasonr]

Sadly, my Wustoff wooden cutting board has become a little warped over time. I'm not stupid enough to put it in the dishwasher or soak it, but I guess I have been a little too liberal putting it under the tap before towelling it. Also, it smells like mushrooms. Not that I mind the smell of mushrooms. But why mushrooms of all things?

[Claire]

I haven't had a wooden cutting board in years, although I keep meaning to buy one. But the synthetics are so easy to put in a sink of bleach solution and soak. I toss a wooden one when I start thinking that I might get slivers from it, or it warps and is not a good flat surface, or just by looking at it (cracks, etc) you can tell it isn't really getting clean when you wash it. Nowadays I want an attractive wooden one that I mostly would use as a cheese board. I butcher meat on synthetics so that I can bleach it after.

[philso]

it depends on how thin of a board it is and what your woodworking skills are like. nice boards are quite thick and made of hardwoods like maple, birch or alder, and are rather expensive. they are generally laminated. i'd guess that your two cracks have started where the glue has become unbonded. if you or a friend have a table saw, it's not difficult at all to make a straight cut along the glue line and glue it back up with a couple of clamps. a little sanding with a disk sander and you're back in business.
if the board's rather thin, you have to be more careful to glue it up level.

[vagriller]

Originally Posted by jasonr

Also, it smells like mushrooms. Not that I mind the smell of mushrooms. But why mushrooms of all things?

Mushrooms are a fungus. Maybe its fungus you are smelling. Just a thought. (aren't I the fungi?)

[sparrowgrass]

Wood warps when you get it wet and leave it flat on the countertop to dry. The bottom side stays damp, soaks up the water and gets bigger, and turns the board into a U.

To fix that, soak the board, and lay it the other way up on the counter, so the inside of the U is facing down. That side will soak up water, and swell, and flatten the board out.

From now on, make sure you don't leave the wet/damp board lying flat on the counter.

Whew, that was harder to explain than it is to do.

[expatgirl]

Originally Posted by jasonr

Sadly, my Wustoff wooden cutting board has become a little warped over time. I'm not stupid enough to put it in the dishwasher or soak it, but I guess I have been a little too liberal putting it under the tap before towelling it. Also, it smells like mushrooms. Not that I mind the smell of mushrooms. But why mushrooms of all things?

Could be mold....spray on some Comet clean-up or a clorox/water solution and let set for about 5-10 minutes. That should kill any mold or bacteria. I do this to my board anytime I chop meat.