# Who's more at fault in this kitchen scenario? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [July 21, 2016, 12:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-more-at-fault-in-this-kitchen-scenario/760488 "2016-07-21T12:58:50Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 17\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Draelin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ce73a5/32.png) [@Draelin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Draelin)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2016, 7:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-more-at-fault-in-this-kitchen-scenario/760488/61 "2016-07-21T19:50:27Z")
Sounds like an excellent solution to me. Though I imagine I am now going to ask everyone I know for the foreseeable future if they store the oven mitts in the oven because I don’t know anybody at all who does that. (That I know of.) ---
**Author:** ![IvoryTowerDenizen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ivorytowerdenizen/32/17937_2.png) [@IvoryTowerDenizen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IvoryTowerDenizen)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2016, 7:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-more-at-fault-in-this-kitchen-scenario/760488/62 "2016-07-21T19:56:51Z")
> [@Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](#): > > How would it get in there accidentally? You use the oven mitt to lift up the hot item and take it out of the oven. For the oven mitt to then go back into the oven it would have to have been put there. > > They’re both at fault, but 95% percent is A. Oven is open and it you knock it off the counter onto the open door. Slam oven door closed without looking. Brain fart- you were putting something in the cold oven and tossed it in at the end (like pouring milk in your glass and OJ on your cereal). You store pans in the oven and it got trapped between two pans and you didn’t notice it. Especially if it wasn’t a large oven mitt that covers the whole hand but a thin potholder type that’s easier to miss. If it is a regular storage space (which I agree is a foolish thing to do) then person B should be familiar with that bad habit of person As and try to remember to check. > [@kayaker](#): > > When I warm plates in the oven, I put a mitt or towel down first to keep the plates clean. I can imagine grabbing my heated plates and forgetting the towel or mitt, especially if I’m cooking for a special occasion. Things get hectic. Yes, or that could happen, too! ---
**Author:** ![Knowed\_Out](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/knowed_out/32/7380_2.png) [@Knowed\_Out](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Knowed_Out)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2016, 9:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-more-at-fault-in-this-kitchen-scenario/760488/63 "2016-07-21T21:07:13Z")
> [@Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](#): > > The debate didn’t last long since they both stopped speaking to each other a short time after. Was this because of the burned mitt or because of something else? ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2016, 9:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-more-at-fault-in-this-kitchen-scenario/760488/64 "2016-07-21T21:42:09Z")
When I was in college, my roommate and I were cleaning the apartment we had just moved into. The toilet bowl was really dirty and resisted cleaning, so we decided to administer every cleaning agent we could think of. A few minutes later we realized that mixing ammonia and bleach is not a good way to clean. We did not blame each other, try to figure out who put in the ammonia and who put in the bleach or stop speaking. We simply flushed the toilet, opened all the widows and went out for dinner until the fumes dissapated. If two guys in college could resolve the problem without an argument, I’d think Person A and Person B – who are in a relationship – could do at least as much. ---
**Author:** ![Filbert](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/filbert/32/3433_2.png) [@Filbert](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Filbert)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2016, 9:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-more-at-fault-in-this-kitchen-scenario/760488/65 "2016-07-21T21:49:24Z")
Living in a house where several people all cook their own food gets you into the habit of always checking the oven. Once you accidentally frazzle someone else’s leftovers, that were just left in to cool down out of kitty reach, you start checking… ---
**Author:** ![Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9de053/32.png) [@Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackknifed_Juggernaut)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2016, 12:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-more-at-fault-in-this-kitchen-scenario/760488/66 "2016-07-22T00:22:11Z")
> [@kunilou](#): > > …If two guys in college could resolve the problem without an argument, I’d think Person A and Person B – who are in a relationship – could do at least as much. Yeah, but things are different when you’re living in a sitcom like me. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Karen\_Lingel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/karen_lingel/32/18649_2.png) [@Karen\_Lingel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Karen_Lingel)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2016, 12:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-more-at-fault-in-this-kitchen-scenario/760488/67 "2016-07-22T00:48:44Z")
> [@Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](#): > > And if Person B forgets to check the oven before turning it on, then a similar fine will be assessed. If I lived in a household where I was fined for not checking the oven for debris before turning it on, I would refuse to cook anything ever again. This is just like the households where the person doing the laundry has 100% responsibility for checking the pockets. You want that to be the rule then YOU do the damn laundry! ---
**Author:** ![nightshadea](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/7ba0ec/32.png) [@nightshadea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nightshadea)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2016, 12:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-more-at-fault-in-this-kitchen-scenario/760488/68 "2016-07-22T00:56:22Z")
as someone who melted a plastic bowl in the oven … no one told me a thing about anything being in there and yeah I should of checked … of course if you put it there and forgot and blamed everyone else well that’s a whole another set of probs ---
**Author:** ![Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9de053/32.png) [@Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackknifed_Juggernaut)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2016, 1:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-more-at-fault-in-this-kitchen-scenario/760488/69 "2016-07-22T01:11:52Z")
> [@Karen\_Lingel](#): > > If I lived in a household where I was fined for not checking the oven for debris before turning it on, I would refuse to cook anything ever again… That rule is for Person B, who only turns the oven on exclusively for the purpose described in the OP. ---
**Author:** ![bengangmo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/50afbb/32.png) [@bengangmo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bengangmo)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2016, 2:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-more-at-fault-in-this-kitchen-scenario/760488/70 "2016-07-22T02:26:46Z")
> [@Karen\_Lingel](#): > > If I lived in a household where I was fined for not checking the oven for debris before turning it on, I would refuse to cook anything ever again. > > This is just like the households where the person doing the laundry has 100% responsibility for checking the pockets. You want that to be the rule then YOU do the damn laundry! The rule in our house is that any money found belongs to laundry doer - so it’s in your own interests to check pockets. ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2016, 2:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-more-at-fault-in-this-kitchen-scenario/760488/71 "2016-07-22T02:31:19Z")
> [@Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](#): > > Persons A and B have resolved their issue: If Person A leaves any flammable items in the oven, then Person A will have to put in $10 into the vacation fund. And if Person B forgets to check the oven before turning it on, then a similar fine will be assessed. > > Part of the issue is that Person A thinks it’s perfectly normal to store oven mitts in an oven and doesn’t want to change a practice that has apparently gone on for generations, and unanimously approved by each and every individual that Person A has ever encountered. While Person B thinks that Person A will soon be receiving a Darwin award, Person B is afraid that the award may erroneously go to Person B, posthumously, since everyone knows that Person A is an expert in the kitchen while Person B is a novice. > > The vacation fund exists for that special trip to heaven on earth, which is currently preferable to a free trip to actual heaven (preceded by a short period in what will appear to be hell). Does the oven turn on with a knob or with push buttons? If it’s a knob, the solution is simple: take the knob off and store it in the oven. ---
**Author:** ![Doug\_K](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b5ac83/32.png) [@Doug\_K](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doug_K)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2016, 2:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-more-at-fault-in-this-kitchen-scenario/760488/72 "2016-07-22T02:48:00Z")
This whole thing reminds me of a classic People’s Court case. Plaintiff was suing the owner of an oil change place. Plaintiff had taken a jeep-type vehicle in for an oil change and they didn’t bother to latch the hood when they were done. On the way the hood flew open, severely damaging the hood. Defendant argued that plaintiff should have checked before leaving. Judge Wapner said no, plaintiff had every reasonable expectation that the professionals had done their stinking job in a professional manner. Well, not in those exact words, but still it was 100% person A’s (the defendant’s) fault. It was perfectly reasonable for person B to expect the oven to be empty. First rule of kitchen club: You do not leave anything in the oven. Second rule of kitchen club: You DO NOT leave ANYTHING in the oven. Third rule of kitchen club: You absolutely do not, ever, for any reason, put an oven mitt, pot holder, towel, or any other fabric in the oven. ---
**Author:** ![not\_what\_you\_d\_expect](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/not_what_you_d_expect/32/3246_2.png) [@not\_what\_you\_d\_expect](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/not_what_you_d_expect)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2016, 3:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-more-at-fault-in-this-kitchen-scenario/760488/73 "2016-07-22T03:27:30Z")
I just can’t figure out how an oven mitt gets left in an oven by accident. And the only reason I ever open the oven door prior to pre-heating is because I need to move or remove the racks. Person A is at fault. But mostly they should just laugh at the absurdity and move on. ---
**Author:** ![Yask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/eb9ed0/32.png) [@Yask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yask)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2016, 5:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-more-at-fault-in-this-kitchen-scenario/760488/74 "2016-07-22T05:13:47Z")
> [@Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](#): > > Part of the issue is that Person A thinks it’s perfectly normal to store oven mitts in an oven and doesn’t want to change a practice that has apparently gone on for generations, and unanimously approved by each and every individual that Person A has ever encountered. This new piece of information shifts the “blame” entirely to B. This relies on a few reasonable assumptions: [ul] [li]That A and B have lived together for a non-trivial amount of time; [/li][li]That A routinely stores oven mitts in the oven (i.e. that it’s not a new thing); and[/li][li]That B was aware of and has previously encountered A’s habit.[/li][/ul] The responsibility is even heavier on B if B has ever removed oven mitts prior to using the oven. If any of the above assumptions are false, “blame” shifts to A, particularly if the household routinely preheats the oven without checking first. The responsibility is even heavier on A if A preheats the oven without checking or has been aware of B doing so and A remained silent. ---
**Author:** ![Sailboat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sailboat/32/461_2.png) [@Sailboat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sailboat)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2016, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-more-at-fault-in-this-kitchen-scenario/760488/75 "2016-07-22T17:42:44Z")
In our house we call it “checking for kittens.” We don’t HAVE any kittens; but the theory is, how bad would we feel if a kitten did decide to nap in a warm oven and we fired up the oven without looking first? Pretty bad. Check first! Don’t be a kitten-killer. ---
**Author:** ![Karen\_Lingel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/karen_lingel/32/18649_2.png) [@Karen\_Lingel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Karen_Lingel)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2016, 9:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-more-at-fault-in-this-kitchen-scenario/760488/76 "2016-07-22T21:02:10Z")
> [@bengangmo](#): > > The rule in our house is that any money found belongs to laundry doer - so it’s in your own interests to check pockets. The problem in my house is not money, but lip balm, which melts in the dryer and ruins all the clothes. PS: Ever see _Caroline, or Change_? They implement your rule and it ends up causing a pretty big rift between the main characters. ---
**Author:** ![Tibby](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tibby/32/17030_2.png) [@Tibby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tibby)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2016, 12:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-more-at-fault-in-this-kitchen-scenario/760488/77 "2016-07-23T00:16:17Z")
> [@Anaamika](#): > > Definitely Person A. Person B should have checked the oven, no doubt, but you never, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever put anything flammable in the oven and leave it there. What kind of stinky retardo-butt does that anyway? 🙂 That’s like, rule 1, up there with **“no running with scissors”.** Bolding mine I \*always \*run with scissors. But, I’m careful to hold the blades \*outward \*as I do, so as not not to accidentally stab myself. Family members (may they RIP) used to tell me I was doing it wrong…but, I’m still here! Per the OP; just be glad it was \*mittens \*in the oven and not _kittens_ or _Britons_—I made that malodorous mistake more than a few times. :o [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-more-at-fault-in-this-kitchen-scenario/760488.md?page=3)