Prevent Kitchen Messes With A Budget-Friendly Item You Can Snag From Dollar Tree

From frying bacon to simmering pasta sauce, certain tasks are sure to leave your kitchen in a state of chaos. It doesn't matter how recently you've cleaned it. You can't really skip cooking all the time, but you can prevent stovetop splatter with a budget-friendly item from Dollar Tree. The Cooking Concepts Splatter Screen costs only $1.25. It helps keep food and grease inside your pan and off your stove or backsplash.

While the idea seems quite simple, these splatter screens are one of the best hacks for a spotless kitchen. Not only do they prevent splatters from landing on your stove, counter, backsplash, and ceiling; they also stop hot grease or oil from burning your face. Of course, there are all kinds of splatter screens on the market. Some are more advanced than others. If you're looking for something easy to use, easy to clean, and affordable, the Dollar Tree version is hard to beat.

To use this splatter screen, first make sure that it will fit comfortably over your pot or pan. The Dollar Tree version is circular and 11.4 inches wide. If this is the right size for you, simply place the screen over your pan or pot while cooking. The screen sits tightly enough over the pan to prevent splatters. Steam escapes through the mesh. When you need to stir your food, lift the screen up slightly, holding it in front of you as a guard. Once you're done cooking, cleaning your oily splatter guard is easy with common kitchen items like baking soda and lemon juice.

Without a splatter screen, you'll probably spend lots of time searching for an unexpected hack that will have your glass stovetop sparkling new. With a splatter screen, however, your daily dinner messes are far less intense. They probably won't require a deep clean. Currently the Dollar Tree offers two variations of the screen. One has a pot lid-style knob in the center, and the other has a long fry pan-like handle on one side. Based on reviews, the option with the side handle may be the better buy. The pot lid-style knob is made of plastic; some users say it gets too hot and eventually melts.