How to Get Rid of Cooking Smells in a Small Apartment

• Cooking smells can be really annoying and tiring especially if you live in a smaller apartment;
• Before cooking, it is very important to ensure good ventilation in the kitchen;
• There are many easy ways to get rid of the cooking smells, however, chemical air purifiers are toxic so it is recommended to try more natural methods;

Cooking smells can become a real problem if you live in a smaller apartment – clothes, furniture, and even hair will not let you forget easily about those grilled onions you had last night for dinner. On the other hand, the size of your apartment does not usually play a huge role when it comes to the lingering smell of the fried fish – even your neighbors from afar will recognize that. So, how to deal with that?

First of all, before cooking, do some preparation work: 

• Turn on the exhaust fan or open the window. Especially if you are about to cook super smelly products such as fish, onions or garlic. 
• Close the kitchen doors and also all the other doors to the rooms to prevent odors from spreading.

However, these preventive means can only diminish the cooking smells. To get rid of them fully, you’ll probably need to put some more effort. Luckily, there are many awesomely simple ways to eliminate food smells:

1. Cinnamon, Brown sugar and Butter

Simply place the small amount of these products on the baking paper and put it in the oven preheated to 200 degrees Celsius. A few minutes later you’ll start noticing the extremely delicious smell like freshly made cinnamon cookies.

TIP: Bake yourself some real cookies and enjoy the nice smell and the sweet taste at the same time.

2. White Vinegar and Water

Mix one cup of water together with one spoon of white vinegar, pour it in a small saucepan and bring it to a boil. On a gentle simmer, this hot mixture will kill the bad odors and deodorize the room.

TIP: Put some citrus peels or cinnamon sticks to the boiling mixture to get even nicer and richer scent.

3. Baking soda

Perhaps, this is one of the most effortless ways to eliminate the bad odor. Just pour some baking soda in 2 – 3 bowls and place them in several places – kitchen countertop, dining table, etc.  Leave it there overnight or longer if needed. This powder will effectively absorb unnecessary smells.

TIP: For more aromatic scent try to use the coffee ground instead of the baking soda.

4. Potassium Permanganate Solution

Pour a few grains of potassium permanganate into the bottle of water and place it somewhere in the kitchen. This nicely pink liquid will vaporize and kill any organic odors.

5. Scented Candles or Incenses

Although this type of method won’t kill the evil-smelling odors, it could perfectly work as an air-purifier. The funniest thing about this method is the extremely wide variety of aromas you can choose.

TIP: Try the vanilla or cinnamon-scented candles and incenses as it will not only purify the air but also create some coziness at home.

Finally, air fresheners and other chemical solutions found at the local store are also very popular among the people. However, they are not heath-friendly and the scent of them is usually not very long-lasting. Therefore, you should better try any of the natural air-purifying methods presented previously.

Some extra TIPS:

• Wash the dishes immediately after cooking, do not leave them in the sink for a week;
• However, if you did so – mix 1 liter of clean water with 3 spoons of white vinegar in the saucepan, put the dishes in it and bring everything to a boil. Vinegar will perfectly neutralize bad odors;
• Put a sliced potato in a pan with a frying fish to neutralize the strong smell of it;