13 Things You Should Never Store Next to the Stove

Cooking Oil

Any chef worth their salt will tell you that cooking oils—particularly olive oil and seed oils—are extremely sensitive to high temperatures, which can degrade their quality and make them go rancid faster.

Spices

Keeping your spices near your stove seems to make sense, so you’re always ready for an extra sprinkle of dried oregano or a dash of chili powder. But you may find that your spices stored near the stove lose their flavor faster, as the heat dries up the essential oils that give your spices their flavor and aroma.

And another potential issue? The humidity that develops—especially if you’re regularly boiling water or simmering stews and soups—can also cause your spices to clump in their containers, making it hard to achieve just the right amount.

Paper Towels

Sure, you’d probably like to have paper towels handy to deal with any kitchen spills. But because they’re so incredibly flammable, you’ll want to keep your paper towels as far away from the stovetop as possible.

Electronics

High heat can mess with electronic components, and even melt them, if it gets hot enough. Consider moving counter appliances and your smartphone or laptop far away from the heat of the stove.

Perishable Food

The additional warmth from your cooktop can cause produce or other perishable items to soften and spoil faster. There’s a reason why storage suggestions for even potatoes, onions, and other room-temperature vegetables call for cool, dark spots with low humidity!

Cleaning Products

Cleaning products are another potential flammability issue—plus, the chemicals released if they catch fire could be hazardous to your health.

Canned Goods

Canned goods are often considered among the most shelf-stable products you can keep in your pantry. So you’d think that storing them above the stove would be fine as well—but the USDA recommends finding a different spot for your favorite canned beans and soups. They should be stored at room temperature, as temperatures above 100 degrees Fahrenheit can increase the chances that they will spoil.

Vinegar

Just like oils, vinegars can be affected by the high temperatures of the stove. You may find that they begin to taste “off” if they are stored near the stove.

Alcohol

Storing alcohol near the stove creates two different issues: It can be incredibly flammable, and long-term exposure to heat could impact the flavor and quality of your wines or other alcoholic beverages.

Cookbooks and Paper

Not only are cookbooks and papers a fire hazard, but the inevitable splashes and splatters will stain from the stove will stain them. (And cleaning tomato sauce or cooking oil off of paper can be impossible!) Keep cookbooks and recipes far from your cooktop, and use a cookbook holder with a clear plastic or acrylic shield to help minimize stains.

Dish Towels and Oven Mitts

Oven mitts feel like they should be a near-the-stove essential, but you’ll want to keep them safely stowed to avoid a potential fire hazard. Consider placing them in a drawer nearby, instead of out in the open close to the stove.

Medications

For most medications, you’ll want to choose a cool, dark place for storage—and the area around the stove is not a good choice then, obviously. Long-term exposure to heat could reduce the effectiveness of your medicines.

Anything Wood or Plastic

These items are at risk of warping, drying out, melting, or even catching fire if they get too close to the flames, so keep them away from the heat of the stove.