The kitchen is probably the most accident-prone area of your home. Regardless of whether or not you have young children, everyone -- adults included -- makes mistakes in moments of carelessness or distraction. Spills happen, stains are created, countertops are burned and appliances break. The possibilities for kitchen catastrophes are practically endless, as any consummate klutz will tell you. But we had to narrow the list down to the five most popular, what would they be? And how would we solve them?

1. Stained countertops. Countertops are stain-magnets. From Kool-Aid to coffee to berry juice, your countertops are an accident waiting to happen. And that doesn't even get into the real problem areas: burns and rust marks. The solutions for these dilemmas all depend upon what type of countertop surface you have. If you've broken the bank and purchased a granite countertop, you've made a wise investment because granite repels stains better than laminate, which is what the vast majority of us have in our kitchens -- particularly those of us who rent apartments or condominiums. If you place a hot pan down on a laminate surface, it takes only seconds for the plastic surface to melt away, exposing the material underneath. And there's not much, if anything, that you can do about it. Rust may be removed with a little toothpaste rubbed on the surface. For coffee, juice and other spills that leave marks on your countertop, try a little dishwashing detergent. Rub the detergent on the surface, and let it sit for several minutes. Then wipe your countertop clean with a damp cloth. The stain should lift off easily.

2. That smell in the fridge. Is your refrigerator emitting an unpleasant odor? Are you scared to look inside for fear you'll find last year's Thanksgiving leftovers shoved somewhere in the back? Removing the source of the odor doesn't always get rid of the odor. To stop the smell in your refrigerator, the easiest solution is to purchase a box of baking soda, open it and let it sit inside your fridge on the door. If the smell is rampant, buy two boxes; at about 50 cents apiece, they're certainly inexpensive enough. Coffee grinds may also help. Simply place a few tablespoons of your leftover grinds from this morning's cuppa joe into a small, open container, and let it sit inside your refrigerator and/or freezer. You may also consider removing the drawers and shelves inside your fridge and cleaning them thoroughly with hot, soapy water.

3. Stinky garbage disposal. Think of the concoctions brewing inside your garbage disposal. Even though you're grinding everything to pieces, you're not always getting rid of the odors these items can leave behind. The easiest way to cut those odors is to (once again) dump some baking soda down your disposal, and let it sit for as long as you can avoid using your kitchen sink. A more aromatic method is to chop some small lemon slices (removing the seeds, of course), and run them through your disposal.

4. Microwave mess. Microwaves that go ignored for several uses often build up crusty remnants of last week's feast (that image really whets the appetite, doesn't it?). Soup, spaghetti sauce, butter and eggs are all common culprits. We're often too busy, too apathetic or too distracted to notice, and by the time we do, removing this tough residue is a task better suited for Arnold Schwartzenegger. And lest you think you do keep your oven clean, check the "ceiling" of your microwave sometime. That's one area most of us don't check regularly. The best way to remove stubborn food baked on the walls of your microwave is to place a large mug or bowl of water into your oven, and bring it to a boil. When your oven finishes its cooking cycle and beeps, remove the mug or bowl, and wipe down the oven's walls and ceiling immediately. The steamy surface created by the boiling water should make it easy for you to wipe your oven clean with minimal effort.

5. Stuck! We've all done it. In an effort to save some space in our kitchen cabinets, we stack glasses on top of each other. A great idea ... until you go to remove the top glass and disover that, thanks to humidity, it's tightly wedged inside the bottom glass. Don't throw them away just yet. Fill a large pot or Dutch oven with water, and heat (don't boil; extreme temperatures will crack glass). Place the bottom glass into the pot of hot water, and while it sits, pour cold water into the top glass. No, it's not a science project. The heat surrounding the bottom glass will cause it to expand, and the cold water in the top glass will cause it to contract. Your glasses should separate within minutes.

Before you berate yourself for causing a a catastrophe in your kitchen, just remember that even the most seasoned professionals fall victim to a little kitchen carelessness from time to time. These calamities are side effects of our busy family lives. The good news is that you can correct these little hassles quickly and easily. And, for some reason, if you encounter any catastrophe that can't be repaired, well ... think of it this way: It probably gives your kitchen character.

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Published: August 25, 1999

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