Cooking odors, whether from a hearty soup or a spicy curry, are normally a welcome addition to the kitchen, but they may often linger far longer than we’d want. This is how you can get rid of them.
1. Use potatoes
Who knew certain foods could actually eliminate the smells of other foods?
Potatoes are wonderful at absorbing odors. All you need to do to keep cooking smells at bay is sprinkle a little salt over some halved potatoes and place them on a dish in your kitchen.
2. Chefs’ candles
My mother always had a Chef’s Candle in her drawer in the kitchen. When I was younger, I could never understand why it didn’t seem to smell of anything nice – what was the point?
Of course, after now having one in my own kitchen, I understand! Chefs’ Candles are designed to neutralize odors rather than emit their own.
They’re an indispensable item in any kitchen and a great solution to banishing odors when you’ve not got a lot of time on your hands.
3. Soak chopping boards
If you’re really struggling to get rid of cooking smells in the kitchen, it’s worth bearing in mind they could be coming from utensils as well as being in the air.
A particular culprit is wooden chopping boards. Juices from meat and vegetables can seep deep into the ridges, making them hard to remove.
Our trick?
Soak wooden chopping boards overnight in hot water with a drop of bleach. They’ll completely sanitize them as well as remove any trace of cooking smells.
4. Boil cinnamon
Mulled wine has the ability to flood the house with the smell of Christmas. Unlike most potent cooking smells, this is an odor we don’t mind.
To flush your kitchen of nasty smells and replace them with a gentle cinnamon aroma, boil a few sticks in a pot of water for 5 minutes, and leave to cool.
5. Coffee grounds
Are you a coffee lover? Then you’re in luck.
Turns out coffee not only peps you up in the morning, but can also banish lingering cooking smells from the night before. Fill a small bowl with your leftover coffee grounds, and leave it on the kitchen counter to neutralize smells.
TOP TIP: Coffee grounds are also great for smelly hands! If you’ve been handling fish or garlic, rub your hands in coffee grounds to get them smelling fresh again.
Did you like this tip? Be sure to check out our other uses for coffee grounds too!
6. White vinegar to get rid of cooking smells
If you read Expert Home Tips regularly, you’ll no doubt have discovered our many uses for vinegar.
Besides being a great cleaner, white vinegar is also marvelous for neutralizing odors around the home – including the strongest of smells in the kitchen.
As with all of our vinegar hacks, you don’t need to put a lot of effort in to experience a powerful effect. Simply simmering a cup of vinegar in a pan on the hob for around 15 minutes is enough to banish any lingering smells.
7. Boil citrus peels
Cooking with lemon this week? Before juicing, be sure to peel some of the skin – it’s a great natural deodorizer to use in the kitchen.
Pop some citrus peels into a saucepan of water and simmer on low heat for an hour or so.
8. Bicarbonate of soda
Bicarbonate of soda is another one of our hero kitchen ingredients that can be used throughout the home. We’ve already shown you how to deodorize your sofa using baking soda, and today, we’re showing you how to use it to banish smells in the kitchen.
It’s the easiest way to get rid of cooking smells on our list. All you need to do is fill a bowl up with bicarbonate of soda, place it in your kitchen and leave it to do its magic.
Discover how to clean your house with baking soda in our other article.
9. How to deodorize a fridge
Do you often feel like you need a gas mask just to open the fridge? Leftovers and – yep, you guessed it – cheese can really stink the fridge out over time.
Luckily, many of the ideas for banishing general cooking smells will also work in your fridge.
Our favorites are popping a bowl of coffee grounds or bicarbonate of soda on one of the fridge shelves. It’s inexpensive, easy, and it really works!
