Small square 'saucer' for 3 litre cooking oil bottle. Disgusting shelf!

[Miljah]

Does anyone have a solution?

Basically, the design of the bog standard Asda bottle means that however careful one is, you're always going to get oil in under the plastic collar of the bottle when you pour it which will run down the outside of the bottle and onto the shelf underneath.

It's a small, 3 sides enclosed shelf so I need a 'just big enough' square shallow container to put the bottle in, as it shares the shelf with Olive oil, vinegars etc.

Any ideas?

Just spent 30 mins scrubbing congealed oil off the shelf!

Use some kitchen roll?

can you decant it into a nicer bottle?

I keep oil bottles in the lower half of a milk container. I cut the top half off with a sharp knife.
Also good for bags of sugar and flour.

Try decanting into a smaller/more user friendly bottle. Or try to find a tray / square plate for the shelf. I have all condiments / oils on a couple rectangular plates in the cupboard. They are sort of tapas / olive plates, really cheap. Makes it so easy to clean!

Get a smaller bottle?

You can sometimes get plates or bowls meant to be underneath a plant pot that would do the job - I've got a clear glass one as a holder for the salt and pepper grinders on the dining table.

What about a ceramic oven dish such as for a pie/tart/flan , lined with a few layers of kitchen paper on the bottom. Easily changeable and no mess.

Ikea do some small tray/coaster type things in their smelly candles section

Cheapo Tupperware lid? I keep mine on a glass chopping board but use wide, shallow glass ramekins (or Dorito salsa jars) to pop skinny bottles or honey/jam into to keep their sticky hitting off my shelf.

I can’t think what size it is but what about getting a cheap pvc placemat or chopping board and put it underneath? I got 3 flexible chopping boards from Poundland. Ikea Do them too. Easy to take down and wash, or stick a bit of kitchen roll in between bottle and mat to absorb the worst.

what dimensions do you need?

Square tupperware. Asda have a bunch of different sizes so you can mix'n'match while you're shopping.

And yes, I'm going to go there: maybe consider a change of cooking habits to not need 3L bottles? I know I'm lucky enough I've got a chippy round the corner so I never need to deep fry anything, but when I did it made such a mess of the kitchen from oil vapour. Not to mention diet.

I use a recyclable tray (eg veg or fruit) til it becomes too manky then use a fresh one.

14cm x 14cm - a 3 litre cooking oil bottle.

Thanks for the helpful suggestions; however:

-buying a smaller bottle ... doesn't solve the problem, does it?, and...

-reconsidering my diet because buying 3 litres of oil obviously equates to 'deep fat frying', doesn't it? As opposed to'economy' and less plastic per product.

I love MN. Would you like to know how long I breast fed for? The extrapolations on MN are comedy gold.

Actually, spoonblender, you are an example of what is ruining Mumsnet.

I asked, context free, for suggestions as to how it's possible to avoid oil dripping down the side of a bottle- could be any bottle of oil, after use.

Several people pondered this and made suggestions as to things they thought might help.

You, however, decided to make it about my life choices/local chippy.

Why? Why didn't you either scroll on by, or offer advice?

I am genuinely interested in what you thought your remark brought to the discussion.

Is your life-reference frame limited? Does everyone you've ever met only use 3 litre bottles of oil to deep fry? Is that why you felt qualified to weigh in? Have you never seen someone put a few drops of oil into a £30 high- quality Teflon fry pan to cook steak? Have you heard about oven cook chips? Even veg chips! Sweet potato, beetroot and parsnip! Asda sell them! Fancy! 🙄

Do you know that current science blames sugar far more than oil to explain our current health crisis?

Thought not, you silly person.

I keep my lidless old tupperwares for exactly this sort of thing.

OP, I see your Asda 3-litre bottle and raise you my 5-litre Costco bottle!

I use old plant pot trays. I use them for oils, vinegars sauces etc.

Gosh OP, aren’t some people rude!
This would make me come over all Blue Peter and find me cutting out some cardboard as a saucer to fit, then covering in foil that you take off and change when needed. Or seeking out the perfect shaped plate in a charity shop.

An eBay search for “small melamine tray” has thrown up plenty of results though you could probably find one cheaper at B&M or Home Bargains.

buying a smaller bottle ... doesn't solve the problem, does it?,
If the smaller bottle doesn't leak, and you fill the smaller bottle rarely and wipe both bottles, it will solve it.
We use a glass bottle and refill it from a large tin.

Just sticking my beak in to say I also hate when people do this OP!

Is this what people lined their shelves with brown paper for? Would that help, or would the oil just soak through the paper? 🤔

One of those tupperware style lunch boxes that no longer has a lid that fits, and a collar of folder kitchen or news paper to catch the drips.

I use plastic lids from yoghurt pots, ice cream tubs etc

Thanks for some good suggestion!!