You've prepared the perfect dinner, your guests are delighted, but when you wake up in the morning, the smell of cooking still greets you in the living room, from yesterday's baked salmon or garlic. To eliminate cooking odors, you need to neutralize the odors at their source and literally pull the irritants out of the air.
Cooking is an art, but a byproduct – the smell of cooking – is a persistent odor that eats into curtains, carpets, and upholstered furniture. Fat and spice molecules namely, they travel through the air and stick to any porous surface. Therefore, only draft does not solve the problem, as the air is replaced, and the molecules remain trapped in the fabrics.
Opening windows is often not enough, especially in the colder months when you don't want to cool the whole apartmentsFortunately, there are simple, natural and extremely effective tricks that will help you neutralize unpleasant odors in a few minutes without using aggressive chemical air fresheners.
3 solutions to eliminate cooking odors
The power of vinegar and citrus
White vinegar is the absolute winner when it comes to neutralization, as its acid breaks down basic molecules unpleasant odors.
Immediately after cooking, place a small container of water on the stove, add deciliter of white vinegar and something lemon slice or oranges.
Let the mixture simmer over medium heat. boil for about fifteen minutesThe rising steam will travel throughout the room, the vinegar will destroy the smell of food, and the citrus will leave behind a pleasant, natural freshness.
If you can't stand the strong smell of vinegar, you can throw some into the water. cloves and a cinnamon stick, which will create a warm, homey scent reminiscent of the holidays.
Coffee beans and baking soda
If you want to get rid of odors passively while you're already enjoying your meal, use baking soda and coffee. bicarbonate of soda is known for absorbing moisture and odors. Arrange it in a few small containers and place them strategically place around the kitchen and dining room.
For an even faster and more aromatic effect to remove cooking odors, use coffee beans. Coffee contains nitrogen, which acts as a great neutralizer. You can simply leave the cup freshly ground coffee on the counter, or quickly fry some grains in a dry pan.
The wet towel trick used by chefs
When you need an instant solution, try a trick that even professional chefs swear by. Take a clean dish towel or a small towel, dampen it with water and squeeze well.
For an added effect to remove cooking odors faster, you can spray it with some drops of white vinegar or your favorite essential oilThen simply towel dry for a few minutes. spin in the air in the kitchen and adjacent rooms. The moisture in the towel will literally trap odor molecules floating in the air.
Cooking should remain a pleasure, not a source of stress due to the smells that will accompany you for the next three days.
