Fish tacos, coconut curry, fried chicken—these mouthwatering flavors may taste great at dinner, but that doesn’t mean you want a smelly reminder of them the next morning. If your whole apartment reeks of day-old culinary adventures, follow these tips to get rid of the smell.
- Take preventative measures: Before you start cooking, close your bedroom door to limit how far the smell can go. This way, you’ll spare your sleeping space and clothing from unwanted odors. Then, ventilate the kitchen to reduce the concentration of cooking odors. Do this by running the hood exhaust fan or cracking a window.
- Clean up: When you finish eating, promptly wash the dishes and take out the trash to remove the source of the smell. Spray and wipe the counters, sink, stovetop, and other places where food may have splattered.
- Store your leftovers tightly: If you have leftover food, prevent stinking up your fridge by storing everything in airtight containers. As you put the leftovers away, give the contents of your fridge a thorough once-over. Any old, forgotten food could create an unpleasant odor, so throw it out before things get any worse.
- Set out a bowl of baking soda: This natural kitchen odor eliminator soaks up smells. Fill a large, flat bowl with a thin layer of baking soda and leave it out overnight. By morning, you should have a fresher apartment.
- Boil vinegar to remove odor: Boiling two cups of vinegar in an uncovered pot helps odor-absorbing particles enter the air where they can do their job. Try this trick overnight, being sure to turn off the stove before you go to bed.
- Deep clean potential sources of lingering odors: Do you smell something nasty every time you grab the cutting board, open the fridge, or run the garbage disposal? These kitchen essentials could be the source of the smell. Bleaching is an effective method, or you can clean with lemon if you’re looking for something less harsh.
- Run an air purifier: Portable units with activated carbon filters trap pesky cooking odors, as well as cigarette smoke and pet smells. Run it anytime you want to improve the air quality in your apartment.
- Cover the smell with something better: When all else fails, feel free to mask the odor. But before you reach for a chemical air freshener, try a natural approach. Brew a pot of coffee, simmer cinnamon sticks and lemon peels on the stove, or bake a batch of cookies to replace the fishy, oniony, or other unpleasant smell.
Still looking for an apartment in Dallas-Fort Worth to perfect your cooking skills? Apartment Locating Specialists can simplify your search with customizable filters that narrow down your selection. We’ll help you find the perfect place to call home in no time. Best of all, our apartment locating services are completely free—we even offer a cash rebate after you move! Begin your apartment search today, or call us at (817) 685-7368 with your questions.
