Cooking is actually the most favorite hobby of many. Sometimes, we do cook to keep ourselves busy and preoccupied, letting go of the bad experiences that we have. However, there is a disgusting part of cooking that most are trying to get rid of. It’s actually the pungent, nasty, and strong smells created by this activity. So, to keep away from it, it is important to know how to get the cooking smell out of the house.
In this blog post, we unravel various ways and reliable tricks that can banish the strong cooking smells that linger in your kitchen and even in your entire house. Check them out below!
Different Ways on How to Get Cooking Smell Out of House
Sometimes, cooking may tend to be disgusting and this is because of the strong smells of the dishes that usually come out within the area. There are cooking odors that are good for the nose, but what if you smell something pesky and you want to get rid of it right away. Below are helpful tips on how to get the cooking smell out of the house immediately:
1-Use lemon
In terms of health benefits, the lemon really works wonders. It is actually rich in vitamin C that can help in boosting the immune system. How about dealing with our kitchen problems? Well, lemon is also helpful not only in cooking but also for having a quick refresh from the sink. Get away from those smells by saving lemon rinds inside the fridge.
You can also consider boiling its peels into a saucepan. Let it simmer under low heat within an hour. Moreover, another way on getting the cooking smell out of the house through the use of lemon is to run some pieces of it into the garbage disposal. Do this at least twice a month and you will replace the funky sink with a sweet citrusy aroma.
This amazing hack from lemon is actually due to the cleansing power of the citric acid that it contains. The acid generally breaks the grease that is the main responsible for the unpleasant odor.
2-Spray homemade air freshener
Generally, spraying a homemade air freshener is one way on how to get the cooking smell out of the house. It will give a clean-smelling kitchen even if the pasta marinara scent of last night’s menu still lingers in. To make this natural air freshener, follow these basic steps:
- Pour around 1/3 cup of water into an 8-ounce spray bottle.
- Add rubbing alcohol or vodka of around two tablespoons.
- Incorporate 10 to 20 drops of essential oils, like lavender, clove, orange, and peppermint or oil of preference.
Spritz this homemade air freshener around your house once there’s a pesky aroma inside the house like that of bacon grease.
3-Boil some vinegar
Another trick that you can do to get that cooking smells out of your house is by boiling on some vinegar solution. This method is actually applicable if you want to immediately eliminate the fried fishy odor. Here’s what you can do during your post-dinner cleaning activity:
- Initially, place the saucepan on top of the stove.
- Pour one cup of water into the saucepan and around 3 tablespoons of vinegar.
- Let the water-vinegar solution boil for about a few minutes.
- Uncover the saucepan and allow the steam from the boiling solution to infuse the kitchen.
Basically, the acidic mist from the vinegar solution acts in neutralizing the pungent odor from cooking or frying the fish. Moreover, if you are using white vinegar, you can also act upon the strongest smell inside your kitchen.
4-Steam a DIY liquid potpourri
How to get the cooking smell out of the house? Well, make use again of your stovetop. This time, beat the smell by making your own version of liquid potpourri. To do that, try these:
- Mix water, sliced lemons, mint, and orange rind together in a bowl.
- Let the mixture simmer over a stovetop.
- Pour on more water as it boils.
5-Turn on the exhaust fan
Every time you cook, don’t forget to turn it on then turn on the exhaust fan if you have one. This device will basically help you to keep the smell of home always fresh and clean. It generally works by pulling the cooking smell out of the kitchen area. Moreover, it also prevents the odor from cooking to infuse into the kitchen space and even on the whole house.
Always switch the fan on as you are using the stovetop or the oven. If you do not have an exhaust fan, consider investing in it and installing it into your kitchen. This would be your partner in battling for those cooking smells that are permeating your house.
6-Bake the lemons
Okay, for a cooking smell, a squeeze of lemon in the garbage can may do the trick in eliminating the odor. But, now we are trying to deal with the baked-in stench inside the oven. Primarily, to cut it off, you need to clean the oven. Yet, doing so leads everyone to procrastination. If cleaning the oven doesn’t fit your schedule yet, you can postpone it and follow this trick to avoid the smell from permeating the house.
- On a sheet pan, place some slices of lemon and orange rinds.
- Put it inside the oven and bake them.
It will generally release oils that have a fresh-smelling scent. Moreover, the scent coming from the lemon will mask any bad odors in the oven and in the kitchen.
7-Cut on the potatoes
Generally, the potatoes work by absorbing the cooking smell inside your house. How to get the cooking smell out of the house is by cutting potatoes into halves. Moreover, sprinkle some salt over it and place them in a dish. This generally works over some curry dish smells.
8-Light up a Chef’s candle
At first, you will never find anything extraordinary from the Chef’s candle. But the truth is, this candle is designed to neutralize the odor instead of releasing its own aroma. So, this is an easy way to banish out any cooking smells out of the house.
9-Soak up the chopping board
Sometimes, getting rid of the cooking smell out of the house becomes challenging. For this, the best solution is to point out the actual source of the odor. You may think that it could be coming from the utensils or other cookware that you’ve used in cooking.
Well, one specific malefactor is the chopping board, especially if it is of wooden type. The liquids from meats and vegetables can penetrate deeply into the ridges of the chopping board. That way, removing them is such a struggle creating some cooking smells to stick in.
What to do with this? Here is a simple trick:
- In hot water, put on some drops of bleach.
- Soak the wooden chopping boards into the solution.
- Let it stay there for an overnight period.
Adding some bleach will help to sanitize the chopping board totally. Moreover, it also a good idea to remove traces of cooking smells.
10-Boil the cinnamon
Some people don’t like cinnamon, but no one can’t reminisce about the smell of Mulled wine during the Christmas season with its aroma. So, even if some don’t like it, the cinnamon scent is really irresistible. To infuse this smell inside your kitchen and to eliminate the nasty cooking smell out of the house, try this:
- Place a pot of water on top of a stove.
- Put some sticks of cinnamon on it.
- Let it boil for around 5 minutes.
- Leave it and let it cool.
11-Leave on some coffee grounds
Hey, coffee lovers out there! Coffee is not just your delightful buddy in the morning sun, but it can also be your partner in banishing the cooking smell out of the house that lingers from the night before. Just fill out a small bowl with some coffee grounds and leave it on your countertop. That’s it! Your smelly kitchen problem is already solved.
Generally, the coffee has the ability to neutralize any smells. In fact, this is also a great option if you have a smelly hand. If you make fish and its nasty odors linger on your hand, or you just smash garlic and its aroma sticks on, simply rub those coffee grounds, and you’re up.
12-Discover the magic of baking soda
Another way on how to get the cooking smell out of the house is by using baking soda. Actually, it is one of the easiest ways to eliminate those pesky odors inside your kitchen and into your whole house. Very simple, just pour on the baking soda in a bowl and leave it in your kitchen. The cooking smell is solved!
13-Steep on some tea bags
Now, your problem is to get cooking smell of Baked Ziti that you’ve made last night. Well, here’s a good trick on it:
- Basically, rinse the pan that you’d used in cooking the pasta sauce.
- Flip out some tea bags on it. It is better if you would use green tea.
- Pour on some hot water and let the tea bags steep for around 15 minutes.
- Afterward, you can now run the pan over the dishwasher.
14-Consider baking the cookies
The smell of the baked cookies is actually overpowering. So, if you fry some fish and you don’t know how to get the cooking smell out of the house, try to bake some cookies. Freshly-baked chocolate chips can really fix anything. Because of the sweet aroma of baked cookies, the nasty smell of the fried fish will be covered up. And, even your mood will be brightened!
15-Deodorize the fridge
There are times that we usually ignore to look in the fridge and check if the cooking smells coming from it. However, the truth is, most of the cooking odors concentrate inside the fridge. Many leftovers with different smells are there. The cheese stinks on it over time, making you feel like wearing a mask every time you open the refrigerator.
Well, initially, you need to clean it and eliminate the source of the odor. Afterward, you can let a lemon slice stays inside. Or, you can also put a bowl of baking soda or coffee grounds. All of these methods are already covered above, and it’s up to you which one suits you.
Other Tips to Banish the Nasty Odor in Your Kitchen
Here are some tips that you may also consider doing in order to eliminate not only the cooking smell out of house but also other pungent odors inside your kitchen:
*DRY OUT THAT SPONGE
One of the sources of bacteria in our kitchen is a wet sponge. It can get too stinky and may build up smelly bacteria. To eliminate that bacterial odor, consider squeezing out the sponge after using it. Dry it out and put it in an area where there is good airflow. Moreover, you may also throw off that dirty sponge on the dishwasher. That way, you can eliminate the yucky feel of the sponge and lengthen its life.
*PAT DOWN YOUR DRAIN
Since you are cleaning all the utensils, plates, and cookware in the kitchen sink, that area will get all kinds of gunk. With that, it may develop its very own stink. The best solution for this is to pat down your drain.
Generally, pour a cup of salt into it and then a cup of baking soda. Follow it up by pouring on a kettle of boiling water. That way, the salt and baking soda mixture will be activated. Let the drain sit for that scenario for a couple of minutes. After that, run down cold water for a minute to wash away any residue.
*CLEAN THE GARBAGE CAN
Always keep this in mind every time you have time taking out the trash, and make it a habit to wipe the inner portion of the garbage can. Spray some amount of odor-eliminating products on it like Lysol. If you are a DIYer and have your own version of it, you may use it as an alternative. Maintaining the garbage’s cleanliness can help banish the bad odors before it totally permeates in the kitchen and even on the entire house.
Final Words
It is actually good to know that there are many ways to get the cooking smell out of the house. And, most of the things that you need are already available inside your kitchen. Moreover, it is also important to find the real source of the smell and once you have it, get working on it. Additionally, don’t forget to clean out and freshen up your fridge, kitchen sink, and garbage can to totally banish the bad odors not only inside the kitchen but also on the entire house.
Home Air Quality is founded by Bernard K to provide information on Indoor Air Quality in Homes and enlighten people about what they need to know about creating and maintaining a comfortable and healthy home environment.
We believe that “Quality air brings a healthy life.”
