Tired of Food Falling Between the Stove? This Simple Fix Works

No matter how often you clean, the narrow gap between your stove and counter seems to catch every stray crumb and splash of grease. It’s an easy spot to overlook – until you realize how much mess has built up out of sight. Instead of wrestling your stove away from the wall, try this quick tip to keep that hidden space clean and hassle-free.

The counter and stovetop are where you do most of your cooking, which also means that it’s where crumbs and other residue tend to congregate. Keeping this area clean isn’t just about appearances – it’s also about preventing a buildup of food debris that can attract rodents or other pests. 

Most people hate cleaning this space because accessing it usually requires moving the stove, which is a huge pain and can be dangerous. The good news is that you can skip the heavy lifting and awkward cleaning attempts. There’s a foolproof hack — all you need is aluminum foil and you’ll never need to clean the floor between your stove and wall again.

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How aluminum foil keeps the area between the stove and counter clean

1. Measure the length of the crack and add 4 inches to the length.

2. Tear off a sheet of aluminum foil that is as long as your measurement.

3. Fold the strip of foil in half, lengthwise.

4. Fold over the edges of the foil to make a foil boat-like shape. There’s no science to this step. Just crinkle the edges over to form sides.

5. Slide your aluminum boat into the crack between the counter and the stove so that it’s sitting on the floor and pushed back into the shadows so that casual observers can’t see it.

It’s kind of like a drip pan for that little crack. The aluminum boat will catch all the crumbs and drips. All you need to do is toss it in the trash when it gets dirty and replace it with a new boat. 

For more cleaning tips, explore how to wash your bedding the right way and how to clean your kitchen in less than 15 minutes.