How to Clean Under Your Stove Without Moving It

Things get under the stove for various reasons. At some point, something important will roll under the stove and you will frantically try to find a way to get it out. The Swiffer handle is too thick and it's too far back to use a pencil, flat ruler or anything else you have tried. Moving the stove would work, but you might need help or be afraid you will damage your flooring. Before you panic, try this little trick.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Wire Clothes Hanger

1. Take a wire clothes hanger from your closet. Holding on to the hook, pull the base in the opposite direction until you have a hook and handle. Now for the fun part...and you may want to have a trash can, dustpan and broom beside you.

2. Keeping the wire "tool" flat along the flooring and sliding the hooked end under the small base under the stove, start at the right (open hook facing to the left)and use a right to left sweeping motion while pulling the "tool" back out toward you. Wow! You just found that tootsie roll you kicked under there last Halloween. Don't eat it! Repeat until you have gotten as much out from under the stove as you can. If you have children and/or pets, you are probably going to be shocked at what you will find under there.

3. Hopefully, amidst all the fur balls, fuzzballs, pet food, pencils, toys, batteries and other junk now laying on the floor in front of you, you will have found what you were looking for in the first place. If you're lucky, you might find some money too!

4. 
   Back to Normal

   Now all that's left is to clean the mess up. A broom and a dustpan will take care of that and your kitchen will be back to normal.

Tips & Warnings

• Obviously, if you are able to move the stove away from the wall without hurting yourself or the floor, you will be able to thoroughly CLEAN the area.
• If the above does not work, and you have lost something special, you will also have to resort to moving the stove.
• If the bottoms of your base cabinets have a space or crevice under them that would allow small items to be pushed underneath, move the stove.

[Fike]

on 10/23/2009 Simple and very cool! Of course, as a lefty, I'll be working left to right. 5*

[Elizzabeth]

on 7/19/2009 Wire hangers qualify as official 'tools' in my household! Nice article! 5*

[jjkadaba]

on 2/28/2009 A funny and well written article! 5*

[BellaCasa]

on 2/12/2009 You're going to make your Swiffer start singing to you ;) haha Great tip with the wire hanger, I must try this.

[HowDragon]

on 2/8/2009 Great trick to clean under your stove. Thanks! 5*!