How to Prevent Your Honey (and Other Condiments) From Leaving a Sticky Mess

Sticky spills are, as far as I can tell, never welcome, and they are particularly unwelcome in my pantry, which is known for being spick-and-span (this is not true). But certain bottles of thick, viscous substances and condiments are best stored upside down, which increases the likelihood of spillage, so it’s best to have some sort of mess mitigation system in place.

I’ll often set bottles of honey and agave in a ramekin or small bowl to prevent honey from pooling in my cabinets, but I only have so many ramekins and small bowls, and I need them for other things (like crème brûlée and holding pickles for cheese boards). Lucky for me (and maybe you), The Kitchn has another solution — use a cupcake liner instead:

Rest any condiments that tend to get sticky inside cupcake liners. They’ll conveniently catch drips and, more importantly, keep the mess contained. And if the liners get dirty, simply toss them and replace with new ones! Note: The foil ones will last even longer and contain messes even better.

The foil ones may last a little longer, but the paper ones can be composted, and you can always double up if you’re trying to prevent a truly messy bit of spillage.

Beyond honey and other sticky syrups, you can place cupcake liners under condiments you keep in the fridge, such as bottles of tomato sauce, hot sauce, or anything else that has a tendency to spill, drip, or dribble down the sides of bottles. (Even if they’re not stored upside down, hot sauce bottles have a way of getting absolutely coated in dribbles.)

Whether you use a washable ramekin or disposable (or compostable) cupcake liner, make sure to wash or toss the dirty ones from time to time. (Unless you want ants, because that is definitely how you get ants.)