Kitchen Freshener Hacks

Introduction to Kitchen Freshener Hacks. 

Have you ever noticed that every house you go into seems to have its own smell? Let’s face it, some, quite frankly, do not always smell that good! Unfortunately, we do not tend to notice our own house smell except when it is a little different from ‘normal.’ Sometimes when you are baking, the cooking aromas can be amazing, but then later in the day, it all just smells rather stale.

We have some Kitchen Freshener Hacks designed to make that kitchen smell fresh and pleasant again. Let us help you make your kitchen welcoming and enticing to your guests. Friends and family may be too polite to tell you, but they might not really like the smell of the kitchen you have simply gotten used to.

Do the Obvious First

Now a smelly kitchen might just be the aftermath of a cooking spree, but it could be something else. The most obvious thing to do is open a window slightly and create some fresh, clean indoor air. The second suggestion would be to use your stove-top exhaust fan to extract the offending stench.

Prevention is Better than Cure

Wouldn’t it be better to prevent odours before they happen? Some meals we cook are going to leave quite a bad odour. We know that before we even start. So, doing things to counteract bad odours upfront is wise.

Even if it is the dead of winter, as mentioned above, keeping a window slightly ajar whilst cooking can really help. All that activity can increase your body temperature, so you may be able to let in a bit of icy cold air without any discomfort at all.

One of the worst smells can be cooking fish. If you are frying fish, add peanut butter to the oil before heating. We are not too sure why this actually works, but we found this video called  “How to use Peanut Butter in Unusual Ways" that includes that tip. Of course, it goes without saying that this is not recommended for those with peanut allergies.

Perhaps you are going to be cooking curry! A favourite food perhaps, but the smell can linger for a long time. Try putting out a bowl of vinegar to absorb the stronger odours as you prepare your culinary delight. Then see below for some more vinegar freshener hacks.

Kitchen Maintenance to counteract odours is a must

It is best to try and find the source. Here are some obvious perpetrators to watch out for.

• Kitchen Exhaust Fan – Keep your stove-top fan clean. It may have a metal filter that has built up with grease.
• Food left on Worktops – Remove smelly food such as onions or put them in an airtight container. Check your fruit bowl for over-ripe fruit that has gone bad.
• Garbage Can – Clean and empty the rubbish bin regularly. Do not let it get over full so that the lid will not close properly. Garbage odours need to stay contained. Double bagging the trash can help contain a particularly strong stench too. Placing lemons in the garbage bin can be good too. Or cat litter. What is good for a smelly pet can also work wonders for your garbage can but keep it dry. Baking Soda also works in a similar way.
• Under the Sink – Pay attention to under the sink, especially if that is where you keep the garbage can or composter.
• Kitchen Cloths – Replace or wash kitchen cloths and sponges frequently. Keep them dry too. Squeeze out any excess moisture and store in a place where the air flows naturally to allow for drying. You can also try putting sponges on the top shelf of a dishwasher, away from the heating elements, to get it clean.
• Chopping Boards – Check your chopping boards, especially the wooden ones. Scrub with a paste made of baking soda and water. Then rinse with hot water. The same process can be used to clean wooden spoons as well.
• Saucepans – The baking soda paste is a useful trick on saucepans and frying pans too. However, be careful with the scrubbing, especially if your pans are non-stick.
• Tea Towels – Replace tea towels with clean ones regularly. Put used ones in the next wash.
• Microwave and Oven – Keep your microwave and oven consistently clean. We have separate blog posts for Microwave Cleaning Hacks and How to Clean Your Oven.
• Area Rugs – If you have Kitchen Rugs or Carpet and the general area, see our blog on Keeping Carpets Smelling Fresh.
• Refrigerator – A smell from the fridge may be the culprit. Check the contents and clean out your fridge regularly. Remove any offending items. Then place a cup of baking soda in the fridge, tucked out of the way. Yes, it is a simple hack that tackles fridge odours without any fuss. Tea bags and raw potatoes cut in half and placed in the fridge are alternatives too.
• Dirty Dishes – Clean up those dirty dishes as you go. Either wash them by hand or if you have one, put them in the dishwasher. If you are not going to turn on your dishwasher straight away, sprinkle baking soda on the bottom of the dishwasher to help deodorize it. In addition, leaving a bowl of baking soda in the kitchen will also help absorb the smells.
• Drains – Are your kitchen drains creating a stink? Mix a cup of Sea Salt and a cup of Baking Soda together and pour down the kitchen sink. Allow it to fizz. Then rinse everything away with boiling hot water. Also, do not forget to regularly flush the drains to keep them clean.
• Upholstery – If you have an open plan house, where the family room is basically in the same room as the kitchen, cooking smells can linger on your furniture. Give that couch a regular squirt with your favourite essence. Place 2 tablespoons of rubbing oil and eight drops of essential oil into a spray bottle and spray the room and any furniture. It helps ward off the mustiness. There are several essential oils that can work:
  • Peppermint Oil
  • Lemon Oil
  • Lavender Oil
• Musty Grout – Has it been a while since you’ve really tackled these floors? It could be the grout that is preventing your kitchen from smelling entirely fresh. Consider a Tile and Grout Cleaning. 

Kitchen Freshener Hacks Using Essential Oils

In addition to the above spray, you can make a homemade room spray using two cups of distilled water, one tablespoon of baking soda, and five drops of essential oil. (Some choices are lavender, lemon, eucalyptus, and mint.)

Essential Oil Diffusers are also handy. Or put a little essential oil in the vents.
Or add a few drops of essential oil to the furnace filter. The fan will circulate, and the essential oil will flow out into the air.

Stove Potpourri

Slice up some lemons and add to a pot with some parsley leaves and tap water. Simmer on the stove until the cooking smells leave your kitchen. 20 to 45 minutes should be enough. Watch out that the water does not evaporate. Top up with water as needed.

Other options for Potpourri are
Herbs – Rosemary, Lavender, Thyme, Bay Leaves, Mint.
Fruit – Strawberries, Apples, Citrus Fruit, Cranberries.
You could use whole cloves, nutmeg, cinnamon sticks, orange, lemon peel, and ginger.
Experiment with the smells you enjoy. You could also experiment with a holiday-themed mix.

Once your Potpourri mixture has cooled, use it in a spray bottle.

Another way to make Potpourri is in a Crock-Pot. See our blog on Ways to Clean a Crock-Pot.

Or using a Microwave is another way. See our blog on Microwave Cleaning Hacks.

Vinegar Kitchen Freshener Hacks

See How to Make Scented Cleaning Vinegar for a great kitchen cleaning hack idea.
You can also leave a bowl of Vinegar out overnight with some cut-up Citrus Fruit immersed in it for a subtle kitchen deodorizer. Alternatively, boil half a cup of vinegar and half a cup of water, and simmer for a while.

Please also see our blog on Kitchen Cleaning Tips and Tricks.

Vanilla Kitchen Freshener Hacks

Place some drops of vanilla essence in an oven-proof dish. Place the dish in the oven at 200 degrees Fahrenheit for an hour.
Or add vanilla extract to some cotton balls (perfume bombs) and sneakily tuck them out of sight around the room.

Candles and Diffusers

Use incense sticks and candles as air freshener hacks. Light them while cooking or before friends arrive for dinner. It is both romantic and serves a purpose, too.

Put coconut oil in a tealight candle diffuser: 3 tablespoons of coconut oil, 3 teaspoons of your favourite spice that will blend well with the smell of coconut or mix a couple of spices.

Coffee Kitchen Freshener Hacks

Leave a bowl of Fresh Coffee Grounds out overnight and let it work its magic.
Coffee Grounds will also work in the fridge, absorbing odours.
See this link for an idea of  Votive Candles in Coffee Beans.

A Garden in the Kitchen

Some house plants help with clean indoor air quality. See 10 Best Plants for Cleaning Indoor Air.

Place some fresh-cut herbs in the kitchen – mint, oregano, basil. Better yet, grow some fresh herbs on the kitchen windowsill.
Buy some fresh-cut flowers that have a scent, such as roses or lilacs. Or bring them in from your garden,  

Kitchen Freshener Hacks using Tomato Juice

Tomato Juice works well for removing smells in plastic containers.
Not sure why this works, but apparently, wiping the fridge with undiluted tomato juice and then rinsing with warm water removes odours too

Baking different Foods for effective Kitchen Freshener Hacks

• Lemons – Bake lemons on a foil-covered baking sheet. Cook at 250 degrees Fahrenheit for one hour, then leave to cool with the oven door open. This is one of our favourite Kitchen Freshener Hacks.
• Cinnamon and Cloves – Bake Ground Cinnamon and Cloves on a baking sheet at 200 degrees Fahrenheit for half an hour. Again, leave the oven door open.
• Bread – Bake bread and, at the same time, bake a little Cinnamon, brown sugar, and butter.

Dryer Sheets

Subtly place dryer sheets at the edges of your furniture, tucked away out of site. Or placed at the bottom of your garbage can. We have some more Dryer Sheet Hacks in our Blog: 6 Dryer hacks that may surprise you!

Another Suggestion for Clean Indoor Air

Furnace and Duct Cleaning is another way to improve your indoor air quality. All sorts of odours are being regurgitated through your vents. Using a sanitization product will help deodorize everything. Or alternatively, you can disinfect the whole home with Electrostatic Sanitization.

For other cleaning tips, see Home and Cleaning Hacks.

Other Cleaning Hacks you may like

In addition to this Kitchen Freshener Hack, you may also like the following:

• Coffee Pot Cleaning Hacks
• Coffee Grinder Cleaning Hacks
• Microwave Cleaning Hacks
• Oven Cleaning Hack

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