We all love a delicious home-cooked meal, but no one wants cooking smells lingering in the kitchen long after the feast is over. Whether it's the strong scent of garlic, fish, or fried food, these odours can be tough to tackle. Fortunately, there are plenty of easy ways to eliminate kitchen smells and keep your space feeling fresh.

If you’ve ever walked into your kitchen the next morning only to be greeted by last night's dinner, you know the struggle. But don’t worry – we’ve got you covered! Here are seven tried-and-tested ways to remove cooking odours and make your home smell wonderful again.

Let Fresh Air Do the Work

This might seem obvious, but one of the best ways to get rid of odours is to waft them out of your home by opening windows and using the vent over your stove, if you have one. One of the simplest ways to tackle strong cooking odours in your kitchen is by improving ventilation.

• Open windows and doors to create cross-ventilation.

• Use an exhaust fan to push odours outside.

• Place a portable fan near the kitchen to disperse smells.

Fresh air helps neutralise these unpleasant aromas by carrying them away naturally. The more airflow you create, the faster those smells disappear. Be proactive and go ahead and turn on your vent and/or open some windows if you're going to be cooking smelly foods like fish or broccoli—ventilation is key!

Bonus Tip:

If the weather is nice, leave your windows open for a while after cooking. It’s an effortless way to eliminate kitchen smells without any extra effort.

Use Vinegar

Similar to boiling lemons or making stovetop potpourri, vinegar steam is a great way to neutralise potent smells. Add half a cup of vinegar to one cup of water and simmer on the stove while you cook (or after) to absorb any smells in the air. Vinegar odour removal is a secret weapon in every kitchen. The acidic nature of vinegar helps trap and neutralise strong food smells.

• Boil a small pot of white vinegar on the stove for 15 minutes.

• Leave a bowl of vinegar out overnight to absorb lingering odours in your kitchen.

• Wipe down kitchen surfaces with a mix of vinegar and water to remove greasy smells.Vinegar doesn’t just mask odours – it actively breaks them down, making it an effective way to remove cooking odours naturally.

Heat up a Simmer Pot

A simmer pot is a natural deodoriser that takes a lot of good-smelling things, puts them in a pot with water, and simmers them on the stove to create a subtle but welcoming scent. Some things you could toss in a simmer pot and cut through any strong cooking odours in your kitchen:

• Cinnamon sticks

• Cloves

• Citrus rinds or slices

• Vanilla beans or extract

• Fresh herbs (rosemary or mint are great!)

Try Baking Soda for Smells

Just like vinegar, baking soda for smells is another natural remedy that works wonders in the kitchen.

• Keep an open box of baking soda for smells in your fridge to prevent food odours.

• Sprinkle baking soda on carpets or rugs near the kitchen, leave it for 15 minutes, and vacuum it up.

• Mix baking soda with water and let it sit in a bowl overnight to absorb lingering odours in your kitchen.

Baking soda is a natural deodoriser that absorbs and neutralises these unpleasant aromas rather than just covering them up.

Make a pot of coffee

Who doesn't already love the smell of coffee in the morning? Brewing a fresh pot or placing coffee grounds in shallow bowls around your kitchen can help absorb cooking smells.The smell of freshly brewing coffee will help, but it’s really the spent grounds we’re after here. 

• Coffee contains nitrogen, which neutralises odours. 

• Spread your wet coffee grounds out on a baking sheet to dry and just leave them out overnight. (You can also put these used-and-dried grounds in a bowl in the fridge to battle odours in there!)

•  Baked goods also smell pretty incredible—and if you're having guests, you'll have something delicious to offer them to eat (and smell!) when they arrive. 

• Banana bread, chocolate chip cookies, and coffee flavoured cakes or pies are among the good-smelling goods you can whip up to send that enticing scent throughout the house.

You can also try our natural air freshener like Fraîche Room & Linen Spray for a light, refreshing scent.

Freshen up the Fridge

The first course of action for a funky fridge should be pretty obvious: Toss anything that is past its prime. 

• Leftovers get pushed to the back and forgotten.Do an inventory of your fridge at least every month to ensure the contents are fresh.

• Then, give the interior of your fridge a thorough scrubbing. If you have removable shelves and drawers, pull them out and soak them in hot, soapy water or wash with a natural kitchen cleaner. 

• Wipe down the inside of the structure with a one-to-one mixture of hot water and white vinegar, plus a tiny drop of dish soap. 

• Use a damp cloth to rinse.Storing a bin in the freezer blocks smells further and dissuades pesky flies from swarming your kitchen.

Frequently Asked Questions:

Q1) How to make a kitchen smell nice after cooking?

A) Make some coffee or bake a cake after cooking to make your kitchen smell delicious!

Q2) How to stop a house from smelling of food?

A) Use vinegar and baking soda to stop the smell of food.

Q3) Can I boil lemons to make my house smell good?

A) Yes!, you can boil lemons to make you house smell good.

Q4) Does an air purifier remove cooking smell?

A) Yes a air purifier works well to remove cooking smell.

Getting rid of cooking smells doesn’t have to be a hassle! Whether you prefer natural remedies or a quick spritz of an air freshener, there are plenty of ways to eliminate kitchen smells effortlessly.

So next time you cook up something delicious, you won’t have to worry about strong cooking odours in your kitchen sticking around. Try these tips and enjoy a fresh-smelling home every day!