Let’s face it, lingering cooking smells are just one of the few undesirable gifts that come along with venturing out and experimenting with new dishes. Here are some of the best ways to rid your kitchen of those unwanted odors:
1. Neutralizing cooking odors:
Vinegar is a powerful acid that will neutralize odors. After you have finished cooking, mix three tablespoons of white vinegar, one cup of water, and boil for several minutes and a saucepan of your liking. Tip: After slicing onions or mincing garlic, you can clean your hands by rubbing your fingers on a stainless steel spoon under running water.
2. Taking out the trash:
After emptying your trash can it is always in our best interest to ensure that no surprises have been left behind. So here’s what you should do: use a wet paper towel to wipe away any debris stuck inside or under the lid. Also, a disinfectant spray, such as Lysol, is certainly something that should stay within close proximity of all trash. Spray the entire can, when empty, and let it dry. Be sure to spray both the inside and outside of the can. If this is completed weekly, you may be able to skip a deeper cleaning for good.
3. New Appliances?:
No need to replace all your appliances as that may not be the most cost effective method. Let’s look at our biggest offenders: the dishwasher, and the fridge. First, remove particles from the dishwasher filter with a paper towel and then run a quick rinse cycle with the machine empty to wash away any remaining debris. Once finished, leave the door a bit ajar to air it out. Now to the fridge. Empty the fridge of all past-their-prime leftovers. This includes old ice cubes, which believe it or not, do hold odors. These may be dumped in the sink. Make sure to clean all spills. Upon completion, pour a thin layer of fresh baking soda into a few small, shallow dishes. Cover with plastic wrap and punch holes so air can circulate; distribute on shelves to freshen for up to three months.
4. Rinsing the Sink:
Remember those old ice cubes we removed from the freezer and dumped into the sink? Well it’s time to put those cubes to work. Since one of the biggest culprits for leftover odors is the garbage disposal, we can clean our disposer blades by grinding up those old ice cubes, ridding it of all residual food scraps. Thoroughly rinse the rubber gasket, since this is a breeding ground for odors. Even if you don’t have a disposer, we still have a solution for you. Pour 1/2 cup of baking soda down the drain while running warm tap water.
