7/14/2020 6 Fixes for Kitchen Spills and Slip-Ups | Real Simple

6 Fixes for Kitchen Spills and Slip-Ups

By Real Simple Updated March 02, 2015

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Here’s how to clean up mundane (and

maddening) kitchen messes. 1
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PHOTO: GK HART & VICKY HART/GETTY IMAGES

Everything in This Slideshow

Splatters in the Microwave

Combine 2 tablespoons lemon juice and 1 cup water in a small microwave-safe bowl. Heat the mixture in the
microwave to a boil; let it boil for 3 minutes and stand for 5 minutes to allow the steam to loosen the debris, says
Marie Stegner, a consumer-health advocate for Maid Brigade, a national green-housecleaning service. Wipe down
the walls with a damp micro ber cloth and the mess should disappear. To remove any lingering smells, heat a small
bowl lled with 1/2 cup water and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract just until it comes to a boil. Leave the door closed, with
the bowl inside, overnight.

Spill That Seeped Under the Oven or Refrigerator

For wooden oors, mix 1/3 cup white vinegar and 1/2 gallon warm water. Note: If your wooden oors are waxed,
avoid vinegar and use a waxed- oor cleaner, such as Parsley Plus All Surface Cleaner ($6, ecos.com). If your oor is
tile or stone, use only plain hot water or a special cleaner, like StoneTech Professional Stone & Tile Cleaner ($8.50,
stonetechdirect.com). Dip a micro ber cloth in the mixture, wrap it around a ruler, and slide it under the appliance.
Rinse and repeat until the cloth emerges clean.

Burned Food in the Oven

Allow the oven to cool. Dislodge large chunks with a plastic spatula, then sprinkle baking soda over whatever bits
remain. “Spritz with water and let it sit over-night, then scrub with a damp micro ber cloth,” says Raina Ra o, the
president of Sponge & Sparkle, a housecleaning service in Atlanta. Wipe away any remaining residue with a wet Mr.
Clean Magic Eraser Kitchen Scrubber ($4, pgestore.com).

UFM (Unidentified Frozen Mess)

Unplug the refrigerator (water and wires don’t mix). Next, combine 1 tablespoon baking soda and 1 quart hot water
in a bucket. Wet a micro ber cloth in the mixture and use it to melt and wipe up the spill in the freezer. You can
also scrape stubborn spots with a plastic or wooden spatula or spoon. (Avoid metal utensils, which can scratch the
freezer liner.) Dry the area with a cloth once it’s clean.

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7/14/2020 6 Fixes for Kitchen Spills and Slip-Ups | Real Simple

Shards of Glass in the Dishwasher

Turn off the lights and shine a ashlight into the dishwasher. Any shards will sparkle. Halve a raw potato, and put on
heavy-duty gloves. Dab the cut face of the potato over any specks, says Stegner. The shards will become embedded
in the potato, which you can then discard. Run an empty cycle to ush out any minute pieces.

Dried Spill on the Counter

It’s often the breakfast gang that wreaks the worst havoc: pancake mix, muf n batter, spilled milk. If you can wipe
them up right away, you’re set. But if life happens to get in the way—going to be late for work, the bus is here,
where are my keys?—an easy spill soon dries into a stubborn blob. Your instinct may be to grab paper towels and a
cleaning spray. Don’t. There’s a quicker, tidier way: Scrub the surface rst with a dry micro ber cloth, says Debra
Johnson, a training manager for Merry Maids, an international housecleaning company. Then rinse with a warm,
damp cloth. That mucky mess will be gone in less than a minute.

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