Ten Tips for Dealing with Odors in The Kitchen Naturally

Everyone puts in their best efforts when it comes to keeping the kitchen clean because a freshly smelling kitchen improves the appetite of the home. Some of the efforts you put in to keep a sparkling kitchen work against you though. Having to deal with lots of different foods and chemicals means that some things fall where they are not supposed to, some leftovers get forgotten, plumbing gets blocked and some appliances stay too long without a thorough clean-up. The resulting odours down spirits since the slightest sense of a bad smell in the kitchen spell danger. There is therefore no single full-proof method of combatting odours in the kitchen, you have to handle each part of the kitchen individually and these 10 tips will get you there.

Keep Bad Smells Out of The Dish Washer

The dishwasher can help you deal with odour by keeping your kitchenware clean but it also needs its fair share of maintenance. Leaving the filter in for a long time leads to the accumulation of dirt which will cause an odour in a few days. Washing lots of dishes with strong cleaners also cause grime to accumulate around the rubber sealing and the door of the dishwasher. When cleaning, you need to dip a cloth into warm water, vinegar or baking soda solution and then clean the seal and the door to remove grime. The most important thing is deep cleaning your dishwasher which is pretty easy. Just fill a cup with vinegar and set it on the top shelf of your dishwasher, set the hottest temperature and then switch the machine on for a minute and bad smells are gone.

Cleaning A Smelly Fridge

The refrigerator is your most important kitchen appliance and the last thing you want is all the food you have in there coming out with a bad smell. The fridge operates on the principle that the food you are putting in there is fresh. A power outage, spills, and poor planning can cause cross contamination which affects the delicate balance in that little box. The most important odor solution for a smelling fridge is having a bowl with sodium bicarbonate and keeping it in the fridge all the time to absorb a bad smell. You should also clean out your refrigerator frequently with warm water and vinegar, and make sure that the corners are also effectively cleaned. Moreover, if your refrigerator is old and not working efficiently, you can also replace it for a cheaper price. For instance, you can look for used Kitchen Appliances or refurbished options in your close vicinity to get well working and effective fridge.

Dealing With a Smelly Oven

The oven is another place where greasy stains and grime can accumulate especially if you don’t clean it regularly after every cycle of cooking. It is normal to feel lazy about having to scour the oven but it will be easier if you do it regularly. If you just bake some fermented food or can’t seem to kick the smell out, you can resort to baking lemons or lemon rinds mixed with vinegar and then let the solution create a good smell and make the grime and stains easier to wipe off.

How to keep a microwave from smelling

The microwave is another box that harbours warm air with lots of stains and leftovers and may develop a bad smell if it is not cleaned regularly. The microwave is a small space though and one of the easiest to clean. You just need a reliable odour absorber and coffee grounds are good at getting that job done. Just fix two bowls of water, then put coffee grounds in one bowl and a cut lemon or lemon rinds in another and then boil them in the microwave until the steam covers the microwave window. Leave the bowls in the microwave for up to 10 minutes and then remove them and wipe the microwave clean.

Don’t ignore simple spills

Many people assume that the bad smell in the kitchen mostly comes from the trash can but the stove is the biggest culprit. It is easy to ignore spills when cooking but the longer they stay, the smellier they get and that turns into an odour after a few days to a week. Under the grates of your stove, below the burners as well as the sides and bottom of your stove are prime suspects when it comes to hiding spills and accumulating grime. Some spills such as eggs, milk, meat and some spices may not be noticed early until they get stinky. The island, counters and kitchen tables are also suspects of spill odours. It is smart to thoroughly clean up after prepping. When deep cleaning, you should also thoroughly clean these areas before the rest of the kitchen. Also, to facilitate the cleaning process, it might be prudent if you had opted for granite countertops (like the ones customized by Francostone, for instance) or something similar. You can clean it more smoothly and effectively and also ensure that cleanliness is maintained.

How To Deal with A Smelly Kitchen Sink

The sink is another waste disposal area that is vital for cleaning and prepping and easily gets blocked. Sometimes, you may have an odour from the sink after washing smelly pots and dishes or stinky food even when the sink is not blocked. When you notice a bad smell out of the sink, the first step should be looking for blockages because any cleaning without unblocking won’t do you any good. If there is a blockage, you will notice water getting stuck for longer than usual or not draining at all in which case you need to repair the plumbing. If everything is going according to plan, simply add a kettle of hot water after adding a small amount of salt and baking soda to the sink. The offensive odor can also be eliminated using a kettle of hot water mixed with vinegar and lemon. However, if that doesn’t help, your sink’s water pipe is probably clogged. Given this, you might need to contact the Brisbane plumber to fix issues. Otherwise, if not cleared up right away, a blocked sink would not only produce an unpleasant smell but also a variety of diseases.

Schedule regular deep cleaning sessions

Regular deep cleaning is the one thing that will ensure that your corners, cracks and crevices and joints in walls don’t accumulate too much dirt that will smell badly. Also, you may need to deep clean your carpet with the help of reputed carpet cleaning services (check out Luxury Vinyl Plank Flooring in Killeen, TX). If you decide to do the job yourself, you should equip yourself with a reliable cleaning kit that includes brushes that will reach the narrowest gaps where spills and smudges accumulate. You don’t need harsh cleaning agents when deep cleaning either, just your regular home cleaning soap, warm water in a bucket and vinegar or baking soda solution to rub against the toughest stains. You also need to remember to start with the pantry, top cabinets and drawers and the walls before finishing with the floor. Don’t forget hidden areas behind the fridge, stove, bin, under the island and other large appliances. The most important tool for deep cleaning your kitchen is a specialized kitchen mop and brush for the floor where most of the smell will come from.

The Best Natural Air Fresheners for A Smelly Kitchen

Even after deep cleaning, certain smells such as bad meat and fish may linger and that is where your deodorizing spays may help but that will only last a few minutes. Having a lasting air freshener in the corner of your kitchen will do a better job at keeping out the bad smell especially if you just cooked a pungent smelling food or had one removed from your kitchen. You can also create your own natural air freshener by boiling lemon and orange rinds and adding a little vinegar then leaving them on your counter to keep a good aroma around until the bad smell goes away.

Dealing With a Smelly Kitchen Bin

You should first of all invest in a quality garbage bin that keeps all the trash locked in to prevent odours which often attract fruit flies. You should also get dry trash bags and ensure that you have wiped the trash can and deodorized it with the spray every time you take out the trash. Putting a porous bag filled with coffee grounds or lemon rinds in the trash can also helps prevent odours. The most effective way of dealing with odour from your garbage can is to take out the trash and give the can a scouring through.

Dealing With Smelly Kitchen Towels and Mats

Lest we forget, damp kitchen towels could kick you out of your kitchen. The same goes for kitchen mats which could absorb spills and gather stains. When the fabric starts smelling, you may have to dispose of the cheapest ones and dump the heavier ones into the washing machine for a good spin. You need to ensure that all the mats and towels used in your kitchen are effectively dried before they are set in place.

Do you know of any other tips when dealing with kitchen smells and odours? If you do why not share your knowledge with us in the comments below.