Eliminate Bad Odors in the Kitchen (Complete Guide)

Blog Guides Diagnostics Maintenance and cleaning Maintenance and cleaning

February 26, 2024 - Updated at March 4, 2024
Tiziano B.
Guides
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How do you feel when, while you're cooking your favorite dish, bad smells seem to invade every corner of your house?

Would you like to find out how to defeat the persistent odors that seem unwilling to leave your kitchen?

Don't worry, you're certainly in good company. I too have often found myself in this situation.

The good news is that there are tricks to eliminate and neutralize odors and return to having a welcoming, comfortable, and clean environment, both for you and your guests.

In this guide, I'll give you various suggestions, starting from the most technical to the simplest and everyday ones. Each of them is essential for maintaining clean and pleasant air.

Here's what we'll discuss in this article:

Turn on the hood
Check the hood's suction capacity
Ventilate the room
Use natural products (grandma's methods)
Use room fragrances or candles
Clean surfaces
Empty the trash
Neutralize odors coming from drains

Let's now look in detail at each of these points.

7 Ways to Eliminate Odors Produced in the Kitchen

1) Turn on the kitchen hood

It might seem trivial, but remembering to turn on the hood is a fundamental step to ensure that bad smells do not spread throughout the house. But why is it so important?

Let me explain: when cooking, the intense odors that dishes can produce can also impregnate fabrics, furniture, and the surrounding air if they are not captured in time.

By turning on the hood, you create a constant airflow that captures the vapors and odors directly from the source of cooking, preventing them from spreading in the kitchen and the rest of the house.

→ Remember to turn on the hood about 10 minutes before starting to cook and to turn it off 10 minutes after to prevent the formation of condensation and ensure optimal suction capacity.

2) Check the Suction Capacity of the Hood

Is turning on the hood enough to ensure the extraction of all odors? Not quite.

Simply turning on the hood is just the first step; it's equally important to ensure that the hood has good efficiency and suction capacity.

To do this, you should periodically check the state of the anti-grease metal filters and the activated carbon filters of your hood and perform maintenance when necessary.

Indeed, if the filters are clogged or saturated, the functionality of the hood diminishes, and it will not be able to extract odors and harmful substances that will remain in the environment.

→ Therefore, remember to check the state of the filters: the anti-grease metal filters should be washed about every 3 months, while the activated carbon filters cannot be cleaned, but must be replaced once saturated (every 3-6 months). Discover all the replacement activated carbon filters at FiltroCappa.it.

Read the in-depth article on how to clean the kitchen hood.

3) Ventilate the Room

If you have tried the previous tips but still perceive an unpleasant odor in the room, simply opening a window or a door can make the difference between a pleasant kitchen and an unwelcoming one.

→ If your kitchen has tilt-and-turn doors or windows, remember to open the windows at their top to allow air circulation in the room; whether you have a kitchen-diner or an open-plan space.

4) Use Natural Products: Grandma's Remedies

Are you looking for natural approaches to eliminate odors in the kitchen? Grandma's remedies can prove to be a simple and effective solution.

Here are some of grandma's remedies that have proven effective in combating unwanted odors:

Wine Vinegar: It is known for its ability to neutralize unpleasant odors. You can use a small amount diluted with water to clean the surfaces of your kitchen, helping to defeat persistent odors. Additionally, it can be used to neutralize the odors of broccoli and cauliflower by adding it to the cooking water.
Baking Soda: It is a natural odor absorber. Often, it is sufficient to place bowls of baking soda in the fridge or rooms to unleash its odor-absorbing power. Moreover, combined with vinegar, it helps to clean and degrease appliances. Use it also to fight odors coming from drains. Learn more.
Essential Oils: Lavender, lemon, or tea tree oil can be used to mask unwanted odors. Add a few drops of essential oil to a bowl of hot water or boil a pot of water with a few drops of essential oil to gently release a pleasant fragrance in the kitchen environment.
Bay Leaves: Not everyone knows that bay leaves also help to eliminate odors. Boil some bay leaves in a pot and pay attention to how the odors are eliminated! (Remember to always turn on the hood to avoid condensation formation).
Citrus Peels: Citrus peels, such as lemons, oranges, tangerines, or limes, emit a fresh and citrusy aroma that can cover unpleasant odors. Boil citrus peels on low heat in a pot of water with some spices like cinnamon and cloves for an even more inviting scent.

Read the in-depth article on how to combat the smell of frying >>

5) Use Room Fresheners or Candles

Another tip I would like to offer is the use of room fresheners and scented candles to combat bad odors in the kitchen and, at the same time, create a warm, pleasant, and relaxing atmosphere.

There are many types of fresheners and candles available in the market: reed diffusers, electric and wall diffusers, burners that heat essences with a candle, and simple odor-neutralizing sprays to be sprayed in the room.

All these solutions can have different fragrances and intensities.

You can opt for fresh scents like citrus or aromatic herbs to mask odors or choose warmer fragrances like vanilla or cinnamon to add a touch of comfort.

→ No advice here, you choose what you like!

6) Clean the surfaces

Dirty surfaces can generate unpleasant odors in the kitchen. That's why cleaning the kitchen surface is an essential step in defeating bad odors.

During cooking, fats and vapors can deposit on stoves, countertops, and appliances. These residues can contribute to the spread of odors and, if neglected, even promote the growth of bacteria.

→ Remember to clean the stovetop and countertop every time you cook or, at least, at the end of the day, to prevent odors and bacteria from proliferating overnight.

7) Empty the trash

Did you know that even a full trash can can contribute to spreading unpleasant odors throughout the kitchen?

Emptying the trash regularly is a crucial step to keeping your kitchen fresh and free of unwanted odors. Organic waste, such as eggshells, food scraps, and fish bones, can release unpleasant odors if left in a trash can for too long.

→ If your trash can has a lid, make sure to keep it closed to contain the odors inside, and remember to empty it frequently to prevent unwanted kitchen odors from spreading into the environment.

Neutralize Odors from Drains

And what about when odors come from drains?

Odors emanating from drainage systems can be particularly annoying and persistent.

Firstly, be careful not to throw food leftovers down the sink that could rot in the pipes and generate bacteria and unpleasant odors.

Secondly, to neutralize bad odors from the sink or other kitchen drains, you can adopt a natural DIY approach using ingredients you often have on hand.

Baking soda, for example, is an excellent ally in this fight: pour a teaspoon directly into the sink drain, let it act, and then add white vinegar and run hot water down the sink.

This effervescent combination can help break down organic deposits and remove unpleasant odors.

If odors persist, I recommend using drain cleaner products that can eliminate food remains in the drains.

Do you notice that your hood is not suctioning or is not efficient?

Come read our in-depth article to correctly diagnose the problem and understand how to permanently eliminate odors from your kitchen. Click here.

If you need to speak with a specialized technician, contact me!

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