Clever Cleaning Hacks for the Hardest-to-Reach Crevices in Your Kitchen

Kitchens can be wonderful gathering spaces for family fun — especially this time of year with Christmas and New Year’s festivities. While some households may use their kitchens more than others, nearly every kitchen has at least one thing in common: the annoying less-than-1-inch-wide gap between the stove and counter top. This tight little crevice is one of the hardest-to-reach places in your entire home, making it nearly impossible to clean without some serious rearranging of major appliances. 

But since the counter and stovetop are right where you’re doing the majority of your cooking and mess-making, this area is in desperate need of a deep clean to get rid of all the accumulated crumbs, drips and lingering food residue. 

Most people hate cleaning this space because the stove usually needs to be moved to access it, which is a huge pain and can be dangerous. Luckily, 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 ever again. 

For more kitchen finds, explore the best dishwashers, best washing machines and best refrigerators of the year. 

How aluminum foil keeps in 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 wall and the stove so that it is 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 under 15 minutes.