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10 Pleasant Ways To Remove Unnecessary Odor in your Kitchen

Kitchens are likely the most used rooms of the home. Many people imagine the perfect kitchen as one that is beautifully designed by Urban Kitchens and Joinery and filled with the latest appliances, but all the amenities in the world can’t eliminate a terrible smell. If you’re tired of being plagued by the bad smells in your kitchen, read on for 10 of the best ways to make sure your kitchen smells as good as it looks.

1. Use Lemon Rinds to Refresh the Sink

Sinks have a way of making the entire kitchen smell when left untreated. From soap build-up to overused sponges, sinks can quickly develop a particularly bad odor. While bleaching everything will definitely eliminate this smell, the natural alternative of lemon rinds work just as well.

If you have lemon rinds handy, you’ll be able to take advantage of the powerful effects of citric acid. The acid in the lemon rind will help break up any smelly grease or gunk, leaving behind the refreshing lemony scent. 

2. Create a DIY Air Freshener

There’s nothing like an air freshener to keep your kitchen smelling fresh. Instead of lighting a candle or covering your kitchen with a popular store brand air freshener, go the DIY route and make your own. If you have vodka and your favorite essential oils on hand, you have all you need to create an effective air freshener. 

Fill an empty spray bottle with 2 tablespoons of vodka or rubbing alcohol and 10 – 20 drops of an essential oil like orange, peppermint, lavender, or clove. 

3. Clean the Trash Bin

Taking out the trash may solve the initial problem of an odorous kitchen, but the trash bin likely needs a good cleaning as well. While the trash bag may be gone, certain odors can linger in the bin. Get rid of these smells by wiping out the trash bin every time you empty it. Use a disinfectant and odor-eliminating spray to keep your trash bins clean and smelling fresh. 

4. Minimize Your Cooking Smells

While certain dishes may be incredibly tasty, there’s often no escaping the odor that some of these foods emit. For example, fish has a particularly pungent odor that can linger in the kitchen for a long time. If you’re planning to cook something especially smelly, put a few drops of vinegar and water in a saucepan and bring it to a boil. This will help cancel out any bad smells that may escape during the cooking process. 

5. Simmer Liquid Potpourri

Potpourri is going to become your kitchen’s best friend. While most people are only accustomed to using potpourri in the dry form, liquid potpourri is quite effective when helping to transform the smell in your home. Freshen up your kitchen by simmering liquid potpourri on the stove. 

Create this potpourri by combining water, an orange rind, sliced lemons, and mint. Let this mixture simmer and then add more water to the mix as everything cooks. This incredible combination will cure your odor issue and help to freshen up the rest of the home as well. 

6. Use Your Exhaust Fan

Exhaust fans are in your kitchen for a reason. When cooking, be sure to turn on your exhaust fan. Fans inside range hoods help to pull any smelly air from your kitchen which helps to prevent odors from cooking food from invading your kitchen. Homeowners without an exhaust fan will certainly benefit from installing one in their kitchen if they hope to get rid of unfortunate kitchen odors.

Keep your range hood for your exhaust fan clean to ensure it works properly. Cleaning this filter with soap, baking soda, and water will help keep it working at peak performance.

7. Place Baking Soda in Your Fridge

Fridges tend to harbor many unpleasant smells which can ultimately spill out to the rest of your kitchen. Cut down on these odors by throwing away spoiled leftovers and cleaning spills as soon as possible. Another effective way to keep your fridge smelling fresh is to keep baking soda at the back of your fridge. As the baking soda helps to freshen up the environment in your fridge, you’ll notice that it smells fresher each time you open the fridge door. 

Similarly, another important way to keep your fridge fresh is to clean the crevices and cracks of refrigerator shelves. Making it a point to clean the surfaces inside your fridge on a regular basis will help prevent any smells from building up. 

8. Circulate Air to Eliminate Smoke

If you’ve ever accidentally burned the food you were cooking, you know how long it takes to get rid of the smell of burnt food. If you need a fresh-smelling kitchen ASAP, circulate the air to get rid of the smoky smell. If the weather permits, start opening all your windows and kitchen doos to get rid of the smell of smoke. Additionally, placing a fan by the window or door will help to blow the smelly air out that much faster. 

9. Hang Dried Herbs

Herbs have multiple uses in the kitchen. These herbs aren’t just a great way to season food–they come in handy if you’re trying to get your kitchen to smell better. By hanging dried herbs in your kitchen, you’ll have a steady supply of fresh ingredients for cooking and your own natural air freshener. 

10. Check for Rotting Veggies and Fruits

While many of us like to stock our kitchens with fresh fruits and veggies, we’ve all been guilty of not eating them before they go bad. Oftentimes, it’s easy to forget about these vegetables and fruits until it’s too late and they’re smelling up the entire house. Be proactive about these smells by checking your kitchen for rotting produce and throwing them away. 

A lot happens in our kitchens. Make sure yours doesn’t tell the story of every piece of burnt food and smelly fish that has made its way through your kitchen. With these 10 tips, you’ll be able to keep your kitchen and the rest of your home smelling fresh all day, everyday.

Photo by Rene Asmussen from Pexels

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