Been following the latest thread on misc. items needed and un needed or unused. One of the things I noticed was the question in getting rid of the nicks and little cuts in your cutting mat. I have had the same one 30" x 36" for a good 15 years. I really do not remember who mentioned this me, but was told to use one of the metal mesh things for cleaning frying pans that aren't tylon. It's the one without the soap in it and I use use it to rub gently over the top of the cutting mat and it appears to work fine. I did FINALLY realize that you can turn your mat around periodically so you are not always cutting from the same side. DUH!!!