Q: I only use one of my stove's burners because whenever I turn on any of the others, they start to smoke or smell like they're burning, which in turn sets off my smoke alarms. I've tried cleaning them, but it doesn't seem to help. Does anyone have a good cleaning method?

Sent by Meredith More

I don't know about you, but the stainless steel trick has never really worked for me when trying to get garlic or other strong food smells off my hands. But I recently found something else that does work: coffee beans! More

Q: I recently received a Cuisinart stainless steel roasting rack and after baking a chicken in it, I have been unable to get it clean. I hesitate to use harsh cleaners or serious scrubbing because I don't want to scrape and damage it, but it's driving me crazy! What's the best way to clean a stainless steel pan like this? More

Q: Any good advice for getting rid of roaches? I've only seen them a few times, but they're big and I don't want to see more! I've put down roach traps and I try to keep my kitchen clean, but it's an old apartment full of holes and dark corners. Any and all thoughts are appreciated!

Sent by Sofia More

Do you wish your refrigerator looked like this? Clean? Shiny? Stocked with vibrant fruits and vegetables, nary a mysterious jar of crusted condiments in sight? Well, Real Simple would like to help you with that. They have a checklist to help you get from grimy to shiny in just 20 minutes. Ready? Go! More

Cleaning up is not exactly anyone's favorite part of cooking. I'd be very surprised if you said it were! Even so, there are three tools that are worth washing as soon as you're finished using them. It will make life so much easier for you. More

Growing up I was convinced my father loved his knives almost as much as he loved us. They were cleaned, dried and sharpened each time they were used. I never knew a dull or spotted knife... until I moved out on my own. More

Recently we recommended these old school soap holders as sponge storage. In the comments one wise reader shared another tip for sponge storage. This tip has changed my daily sink routine! More

Q: Last weekend I found that my guests scraped up my wok by using the wrong tongs. Now it's showing signs of rust and I was wondering if there was any product or way to repair it? It has a lot of sentimental value since it was given to me as gift from my mom four years ago.

Sent by Juan More

What's the deal with disinfecting cooking tools and utensils? Is it really necessary? If so, when? And what's the deal with bleach? Good or bad? Answers to these questions and more below in our quick guide to sanitizing techniques in the kitchen. More