Cooking can be a passion, but we know well that it is also a need. In both cases we have to roll up our sleeves and get our hands dirty!
Sometimes it may have happened to you that the “cooked smell” remains impregnated on the curtains, furniture or in the air in general . Don’t get me wrong, the smell of food is always intoxicating and brings back wonderful memories. But when you cook something very strong, like onions, garlic or fish, as the hours go by the smell is no longer pleasant .
Let’s see together the methods that always work for me in case of bad odors both at home and in the kitchen .
Two tricks with alcohol vinegar
Alcohol vinegar , as we know, has various properties. In addition to thoroughly degreasing (and having a very persistent odor), it also eliminates odors effectively. If you also want to try this remedy, know that you can use it in two simple ways .
Glass trick
The vinegar glass trick is the simplest and quickest. Simply fill a glass with alcohol vinegar (you don’t need to fill it) and place it under the kitchen hood .
In the meantime, let the kitchen air out, so that there is an exchange of air and in the meantime the glass will act . This little trick is very versatile, you could even put it in the fridge to absorb the mix of food odors it contains.
Makeup with the cloth
Alcohol vinegar has polishing properties, it is no coincidence that I often use it to polish kitchen steel without resorting to any chemical descaler.
If, at the end of cleaning, you put a drop of alcohol vinegar on your damp cloth, wipe it over the surface of the hob , on the kitchen tiles and under the hood . Even the strongest odor will be defused by just a drop of vinegar.
In extreme cases, you can also think about boiling it, now we will see together what I mean.
The powerful remedy in the saucepan
We have seen some quick tricks that can help you especially when you are in a hurry. But my favorite natural remedy for absorbing bad odors in the kitchen is absolutely the saucepan remedy .
You can use whatever you prefer , based on the fragrance you want to give to the kitchen and home. I’ll give you some examples :
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- With bay leaves : in this case the bay leaves should not be used as a cooking ingredient, but should be placed in a saucepan of water and brought to the boil . The essential oils contained in the leaves will give a very pleasant aroma to the house, absorbing the smell of food .
- Cinnamon : if you like cozy and even a little “winter” smells, you can opt for cinnamon. You can think of using both the sticks, but also the powdered one , which is really easy to find in the spice section of the supermarket .
- Slices or peels of citrus fruits : lemon, orange, mandarins… you are truly spoiled for choice! You can also use what remains of the squeezed fruit, it will be an excellent anti-waste remedy.
- Vinegar : in this case, I must tell you that not everyone prefers the smell it gives off initially, it could be quite strong, although valid and effective. Remember to keep the kitchen window open if you want to use this stronger remedy .
- Other spices or herbs .
These are just some of the remedies I have tried to perfume my kitchen naturally . But I advise you to experiment: you can always combine some ingredients , based on your availability or the scents you like most.
You can combine orange and cinnamon with cloves , or lemon with rosemary and lavender flowers . In short, with the saucepan remedy you can really have fun!
And the curtains?
Curtains , unfortunately, are a sore point, as they tend to absorb a lot of the smells and vapors from the house .
If you believe it is necessary and it is in line with your commitments, you could think about doing a gentle wash in the washing machine and hanging them up damp . This way you will have a double advantage : you will not have to iron them and you will smell clean and laundry even in your kitchen.
Or you can think of vaporizing a solution with 500 ml of water , the tip of a spoonful of bicarbonate and 4-5 drops of essential oil of your choice (such as lavender or citrus). Spray the solution a few centimeters away, this way you will perfume them without necessarily having to wash them.
Just remember this: test this curtain freshener first in an inconspicuous place to see if it is tolerated by the fabric.
Some tips that always help me when I cook
Over the years I have found those small gestures that help me keep the kitchen smelling better and less invaded by the smell of food . I will try to summarize them briefly:
- let it ventilate even while cooking . In winter it’s a problem, I know, but do it even for a few minutes at a time;
- you can try cooking while already keeping the saucepan infusing , so it will cover the smell of the food;
- there are those who add a piece of apple or a cork when frying , so on the one hand the strong smell of frying becomes more pleasant;
- Always degrease the furniture well , because the smell sometimes remains and the kitchen is always a little “smelly”.