Maintaining a clean and fresh-smelling kitchen is essential for a healthy living environment, particularly in small living spaces like apartments, studios, and modest homes. Unpleasant kitchen odors can quickly spread and affect the quality of life, and they tend to linger in small kitchens, seeping into other shared spaces.
These odors can be caused by everything from cooking odors to garbage, unclean dishes, and old appliances. Some types of kitchen odors can be hazardous to one’s health, thus they must be addressed as soon as possible.
This post will give you detailed advice on how to get rid of odors in a tiny kitchen. We’ll go through quick cures, deep cleaning, natural therapies, and other alternatives, as well as recommendations for keeping your kitchen smelling fresh.
With these tips and tricks, you’ll be able to keep your small kitchen smelling clean and fresh, and have a healthy living space that you can be proud of. Let’s dive in.
Quick Fixes
Quick fixes can be a lifesaver when you need to freshen up your small kitchen quickly, especially if you have unexpected guests coming over.
Open your windows
If you have a window in your kitchen, opening it is a quick and easy way to eliminate bad odors. This can help the air move around better and let in fresh air, which will dilute the smell.
If you don’t have a window, you can improve ventilation by using a fan or opening doors to adjoining rooms. But it’s important to remember that opening a window or using a fan won’t completely get rid of lingering kitchen smells, but it will help to make them less strong.
Turn on your range hood
Turning on your range hood might help to immediately neutralize kitchen odors. Range hoods are intended to pull smoke and steam away from the cooking area, as well as to help remove odors.
You may create a continuous flow of air that will move cooking smells and smoke out of your kitchen and into the outdoors by turning on your range hood. This is especially handy when preparing food with a strong smell, as it can help keep the fragrance from remaining in your home for hours afterward.
Light a scented candle
Burning a scented candle in your kitchen can be a quick and effective way to cover unpleasant smells. A well-chosen candle can not only add a pleasant aroma to the environment, but it can also create a cozy and inviting mood. When looking for a candle, look for scents that can get rid of smells, like citrus, lavender, or eucalyptus.
Use an odor-neutralizing spray
A quick and easy way to get rid of small kitchen smells is to use an odor-neutralizing spray. These sprays are made to get rid of smells instead of just masking them, making them a great choice for people who want to get rid of smells quickly.
They come in a variety of scents and can be found in most supermarkets and home improvement stores. Also, they are easy to use and don’t take much work to put on, which makes them a popular choice for people who want a quick way to get rid of small kitchen smells.
Place a bowl of citrus peels on the counter
A bowl of citrus peels on the counter is an effective quick remedy for small kitchen smells. The natural oils in citrus fruits, like lemons and oranges, have a pleasant, refreshing smell that can help get rid of bad smells.
The peels release their natural oils into the air while they sit on the counter, providing a fresh and clean aroma in the kitchen. This method is not only effective, but it is also a natural and inexpensive solution that is simple to apply.
Limit how far the smell can go
A towel at the bottom of the door can help reduce the spread of kitchen odors by creating a barrier that keeps air and smells from escaping under the door and into other sections of the house. This is especially useful in tiny flats or shared living spaces where the kitchen is adjacent to the other living rooms.
Another alternative is to cover any gaps around windows or doors with a draft stopper or weather stripping.
Deep Cleaning
It’s not uncommon for lingering kitchen smells to persist despite quick solutions. That is why thorough cleaning is required to entirely eradicate them. Over time, grease, food bits, and germs can build up on kitchen surfaces and appliances, making them smell bad. Let’s fix the problem at its root!
Wipe down surfaces with a vinegar and water solution
A good way to deep clean your small kitchen and get rid of smells is to wipe down the surfaces with a solution of vinegar and water. Vinegar is a natural cleaner and odor remover that can kill germs and other dirt on your kitchen surfaces and get rid of smells that you don’t like.
Use a steam cleaner
A steam cleaner is an efficient way to deep clean a small kitchen and remove odors. Steam cleaning can sometimes get into deep cracks and crevices, killing bacteria and getting rid of dirt and grime that can cause bad smells. It also leaves no chemical residue, making it a safe and environmentally responsible solution.
Clean up right away
Cleaning up immediately after cooking is an efficient way to avoid the accumulation of bad smells in a small kitchen. When food is left out or spills are not immediately cleaned up, they might begin to generate a stench that lingers and spreads throughout the kitchen. You may avoid this by cleaning up right after cooking and keeping your kitchen smelling fresh and tidy.
Ventilate as much as possible
Ventilate your kitchen as much as possible by opening windows, turning on fans, or using exhaust fans. This will help to eliminate lingering kitchen odors by allowing air flow and removing the odors from the room. Fresh air can also dilute and spread out odor molecules in the air, which makes them smell less strong. This is especially important when doing a thorough cleaning of your kitchen because it aids in the removal of any remaining odors.
Natural Remedies
Using natural remedies to get rid of small kitchen smells can be a good option for people who don’t have a lot of storage space or would rather spend less money on a solution.
Boil a vinegar-water solution on the stove
In a tiny kitchen, boiling a vinegar and water solution on the stove is an excellent approach to eradicating persistent odors. The heat makes the solution evaporate, which helps get rid of smells that you don’t like. This natural and inexpensive alternative is also environmentally friendly and does not require any additional equipment, making it an excellent choice if you have limited space or want a more sustainable approach to keeping your kitchen smelling fresh.
Simmer potpourri while you cook
Simmering potpourri in your small kitchen while you cook can help to naturally eradicate undesirable scents. By simmering fragrant materials such as citrus peels, cinnamon sticks, and herbs in a pot of water, the ensuing steam will diffuse a pleasant scent into the air, helping to cover any kitchen odors.
Drop some lemon in your garbage disposal
Lemon is a natural deodorizer that can help eliminate undesirable odors in the kitchen. Putting lemon slices or peels down the garbage disposal can help to freshen it up and remove any remaining scents. Once the lemon is ground up in the disposal, its natural oils and perfume are released, leaving the kitchen smelling fresh and clean.
Add kitty litter to your trash can
Putting kitty litter in your trash can is an easy and effective technique to get rid of kitchen odors. Cat litter can absorb moisture and neutralize odors in your trash can. It’s a low-cost and eco-friendly alternative that’s great for people who live in small spaces or apartments where kitchen smells can quickly become overpowering.
Leave a bowl of vinegar or baking soda on the counter overnight
Baking soda and vinegar are both natural deodorizers that absorb and neutralize unwanted scents. Placing a bowl of either of these things in the kitchen overnight will pull the odor-causing particles into the bowl, leaving the air in the kitchen smelling fresher and cleaner.
Use essential oils
Simply place a few drops of your favorite essential oil in a diffuser or combine it with water in a spray bottle and spritz it around the kitchen. Essential oils not only help get rid of bad smells, but they can also add a nice scent to the air. Also, because they are made from plants and don’t contain harsh chemicals, they are an eco-friendly and safe way to get rid of kitchen smells naturally.
Place bowls of herbs around the kitchen
Because of their natural smells, placing bowls of herbs throughout the kitchen can help eradicate tiny kitchen odors. Some herbs, such as rosemary, thyme, and mint, have potent aromas that can mask unpleasant odors. Herbs also have air-purifying capabilities and can absorb unwanted scents.
Other Solutions
Use a charcoal filter splatter screen
A charcoal filter splatter screen can help cut down on smells in a small kitchen by soaking up and getting rid of cooking smells. These screens are made to fit over pots and pans. They are made with activated charcoal, which attracts odor molecules and holds on to them.
The charcoal absorbs odors as the air runs through the screen, leaving the kitchen feeling fresh and clean. This is a great option for people who don’t want to buy expensive air filters or ventilation systems to get rid of cooking smells quickly and easily.
Try a countertop or plug-in air purifier
The way these things work is that they move the air in a room through a filter, which catches pollutants and gets rid of smells. They are usually small and inexpensive, which makes them an easy and effective way to get rid of kitchen smells in a small space.
Make sure your fridge is set to the right temperature
Keeping your fridge at the right temperature is important if you want to keep food from going bad and bad smells from spreading through your small kitchen. The optimal temperature for a refrigerator is 35–38 degrees Fahrenheit (1.7–3.3 degrees Celsius).
A refrigerator that is either excessively hot or too cold can cause food to spoil, resulting in unpleasant odors. Make changes to your fridge’s temperature settings on a regular basis and make sure the temperature stays the same throughout.
Strategically put plants in your kitchen
Plants can help neutralize scents as well as offer visual appeal to a kitchen. Herbs like mint, basil, rosemary, and thyme are excellent for reducing kitchen odors. These plants not only look lovely, but they also produce pleasant oils that can mask odors.
Place these plants on a windowsill or countertop where they will get plenty of sunlight. You may also conserve counter space by hanging them in a stylish planter from the ceiling or wall. Having these plants in your kitchen can be a win-win situation because they provide fresh herbs for cooking.
Some tips to maintain a fresh-smelling kitchen
- Properly store food: Storing food properly can prevent it from spoiling or emitting unpleasant odors. Make sure to keep perishable items refrigerated and covered, and throw away any expired or spoiled food.
- Dispose of trash promptly: Leaving garbage in the kitchen can quickly cause bad smells to develop. Dispose of trash regularly and consider using a trash can with a lid to prevent odors from escaping.
- Clean your kitchen regularly: A regular cleaning routine can help prevent the buildup of dirt, grime, and food debris that can lead to odors. Wipe down surfaces, clean appliances, and sweep or vacuum the floors frequently.
- Rinse dishes before placing them in the dishwasher: Rinsing dishes before loading them into the dishwasher can prevent food scraps from accumulating and causing unpleasant smells.
In conclusion
Finally, keeping a fresh-smelling kitchen is critical for a healthy and pleasant home atmosphere. We advise you to try out different options to see what works best for your kitchen and to prioritize your well-being and health by keeping your kitchen smelling fresh.
Now let’s get started on giving your lovely kitchen some freshness!
