Deep cracks in wooden spatula spark blunt warning: 'You can't make it food safe again'

After noticing serious splits in a wooden spatula, one zero-waste enthusiast asked the internet for ways to keep the utensil going instead of tossing it. 

Here's what to know

In an Aug. 10 post to Reddit's r/ZeroWaste community, the original poster described the issue, writing, "I have a wooden spatula that has some deep cracks in it that can begin to harbor bacteria. Before throwing it away and replacing it I would like to attempt to … extend its life."

The OP added, "Does anyone have some woodworking knowledge they can lend, or an article/video to point me to, on how this spatula can remain food safe?" 

The replies largely pointed in one direction: the wooden utensil with deep cracks should not stay in cooking use. As one commenter wrote, "You can't make it food safe again … You should buy a metal utensil to replace it."

Another person emphasized that the small savings involved did not justify the possible health risk, writing, "First off, don't gamble with your health over an under $5 utensil … [and] don't take health and safety advice from social media."

One user even recommended that OP instead repurpose it into "a laundry spatula … used to push dirty washing under the soaking water and to agitate it."

More background

Wooden utensils appeal to many home cooks because they can be frequently reused, are gentle on cookware, and are often cheap to buy. 

Those same qualities also make them attractive to people trying to cut down on household waste. In this case, the original poster made that intention explicit by wanting to "extend its life" before getting rid of it.

Yet, the conversation also underscored a limit to the repair-first mindset. Ultimately, some items cannot be safely restored to their original job. Because deep cracks in a kitchen tool can create concerns about trapped moisture and bacteria, many commenters urged the poster to retire the spatula from food use instead of trying to put it back into service at the stove.

But as several commenters pointed out, the spatula might still be useful for other purposes, meaning the OP didn't have to trash it.

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