6 Fixes for Kitchen Spills and Slip-Ups

Dried Spill on the Counter

It’s often the breakfast gang that wreaks the worst havoc: pancake mix, muffin 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 first with a dry microfiber 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.