mantra
If the oil and soy doesn't work, try cheap beer. Will get earwigs and slugs for sure, but might work on other parts as well. They also work better if you sink them into the ground so their lip is almost level with the soil or cover. Makes it more likely that they will find it and fall in.
You're probably gonna have to experiment a bit. For baking and more delicate things probably the listed fan temp, but for things like roasted potatoes it doesn't matter as much.
It is just little tricks for entertainment/practice. So you could do the table smack, but it would be obvious you were casting a spell to do it, and the mark would fade after the spell wore off. It was never really meant to have serious utility. There are feats that can help remove component requirements, which could help with stealth, as it's usually the verbal/somatic bits that give you away. That being said, being able to douse/light candles and lamps is pretty handy. You can temporarily mark locations or routes for allies, or use the same to confuse or mislead someone, at least within the hour duration. There are probably tons of more creative uses out there if you do a little forum digging.
Nitrile gloves have been shown to offer a bit more protection against isocyanates than latex. If you're just worried about mess and aren't allergic, then probably doesn't matter.
I think for a lot of people part of the fantasy is getting to be someone else.
You probably don't need to add holes to the shelves. There are pegs that go into the adjustable holes that are flattened on one side, and the shelf just rests on them. Should be able to get a set of universal ones from the hardware store for pretty cheap if the originals are missing.