Guests arriving at 6pm. Quick! Get the main course in the oven and start on dessert. Grab all your baking equipment and -- oh darn it, those glass mixing bowls are stuck together again! Always when you're in a hurry, right?

Don't fret: there's an easy way to separate nesting bowls or stacked glasses that have become wedged together: drip a few drops of vegetable oil between the items in question and wiggle very gently. If they still won't budge, add a bit of warm water to mix things up. They should pop apart without a problem.

No luck? Here are some other suggestions worth trying:


Dish soap and hot water. Odds are those soapy suds will lubricate the glass surfaces and they'll come unstuck.

Hot water and ice water. Submerge the bottom glass or bowl in very hot (but not boiling) water. Fill the uppermost glass or bowl with ice water. Presto! The simultaneous expansion and contraction of the layers should unstick even the most stubborn glassware.

WD-40. A quick spray of WD-40 anyone? Interesting suggestion, but not on my glassware, thanks. If you do try this method, wash everything with lots of soap and hot water before using them for food prep, eating or drinking.

Speaking of staying safe, always handle glassware with extreme care. Trying to forcibly pry stuck glasses or bowls apart could shatter them and leave you with a nasty cut. Worst case scenario: shards could fly up into your face. Ouch. Don't risk it.

See also:
Top Ten Home Bar Essentials
The Daily Fix: Wipe Out Water Rings on the Table