Oil spills in the kitchen could become a distant memory with this brilliant cleaning tip. Many home cooks utilise some type of cooking oil regularly, whether it’s for frying a morning egg or preparing meat and vegetables for an evening meal.
Oil serves as an essential non-stick agent in both roasting tins and frying pans. But anyone who’s ever tipped over their oil bottle mid-cooking knows the ensuing chaos all too well.
Mopping up the mess with kitchen roll often just spreads a thinner layer across the worktop, while water proves futile as oil naturally repels it.
But there’s a savvy solution to the dilemma. Cleaning enthusiasts on social media have unveiled a “genius” hack that promises to clear up oily mishaps in no time at all.
In a video posted by Daily Tips on TikTok, one lady demonstrates what happens when she accidentally pours olive oil onto her counter. Her initial attempt to dab it up with paper towels was unsuccessful, as the oil simply permeated through.
Switching gears, she reached for her secret weapon – baking soda.
She liberally applied baking soda over the spillage, fully covering it, then paused briefly to let the powder absorb the oil. After giving the baking soda time to work its magic and gathering the residue, she swiftly sweeps away the concoction, revealing a spotless countertop beneath.
The woman captioned her post: “Genius life hack from grandma.”
Baking soda, also recognised as bicarbonate of soda, is available from supermarkets for a mere 65p, and it’s likely you’ve already got some stashed in the kitchen for cooking purposes. Should baking soda be missing from your cupboard, fret not – cornstarch serves as an able substitute.
This nifty cleaning tip has also been featured on the Cool Mom Eats blog, a treasure trove of culinary tips and tricks. They recommend initially tackling excess oil with paper towels or old dish towels by blotting rather than wiping to prevent spreading the grease.
They advised: “Soak up the excess oil with paper towels or old dish towels (that you make sure to wash separately) using a dabbing motion. Do not wipe or you risk spreading the oil further.
“Generously sprinkle cornstarch over the remaining oil and let sit for about 10 minutes. Cornstarch has worked well for me, but some sources suggest you can also use baking soda, if that’s all you have on hand.”
The blog also shared what to do if you get oil on your carpets. They recommended sprinkling cornstarch or baking soda onto the spill and leaving it to sit for around 30 minutes. You can then vacuum the powder, and the stain should be gone, too.
How to clean up cooking oil spills
- Stop the spread: If the oil spill is near the stove or an active heat source, turn off any appliances to prevent a fire risk. Use a paper towel or cloth to block the edges of the spill to prevent it from spreading further.
- Absorb the oil: Sprinkle an absorbent material over the spill. This could be baking soda, flour, cornstarch, or cat litter. While you can use paper towels, they can smear the oil, so absorbent powder works better.
- Scoop or collect the debris: Let the absorbent material sit for 5-10 minutes to soak up the oil, and then use a spatula or a dustpan to scoop up the soaked material and dispose of it in the bin.
Once the oil spill has cleared, you may need to clean up any residue left behind. You can use a degreaser or washing up liquid to break down the remaining oil. You can follow these steps to clean up the residue:
- Mix warm water with a few drops of washing up liquid and apply it to the area.
- Use a sponge or cloth to scrub the surface gently.
- For stubborn, stuck-on oil, sprinkle some baking soda and scrub until the surface is clean.
- Rinse the area with warm water and use a clean towel to dry the area.
