Your assorted bottles of cooking oil can make food prep a messy endeavor. Here’s how to keep the drips and slips to a minimum…

Easy access: If your new bottle of cooking oil has a foil seal, cut a small slit in it instead of removing it completely. The slit will give you more control over the amount of oil you pour…and should eliminate any extra drips or the occasional spill.

Give it the squeeze: To make your cooking oil easier to use, do what the restaurants do. Transfer your oil to a clean, empty mustard or ketchup bottle—you know, the kind you squeeze. You can find them at restaurant supply stores or at WebstaurantStore.com.

Catch the drips: Lids from plastic containers—such as cottage cheese, ricotta cheese, Chinese-soup take-out—can be used as coasters for your bottles of oil. Using them will save you from having to constantly wipe the drips off your countertops and cupboard shelves.

Quick oil absorber: If you do spill oil on the floor, pour enough flour on it to cover completely. Wait a minute or so for the flour to absorb the grease, then clean it all up with a few paper towels or dry newspaper.