Kitchen ODORS 101 - Tricks and Tips

From time to time, I post kitchen tips and tricks. I know it doesn't have anything to do with food, but it's somewhat related since it's about our kitchen. It's where you cook and bake so you want to keep it clean and smelling good.

These are some of the problems and the solution to prevent or get rid of it.

THE STINK: Garbage Disposal
THE SOLUTION: Pour a cup of boiling water through the disposal, which will clean of the blades. Then grind up citrus peels like lemon or orange rind.


THE STINK: Refrigerator
THE SOLUTION: Soak a cotton ball in vanilla extract, then put it in a little bowl on the lowest ope shelf. remove in a few days when dry. (If you prefer the smell of coffee, try a bowl of used coffee grounds instead)


THE STINK: Dishwasher
THE SOLUTION: A half-full dishwasher can stink up a kitchen in no time, so run the light rinse with no soap. The steam will remove most of the food. If odors persist, get in the empty machine with a sponge and nailbrush, and clean out all the filters and parts on the bottom-something is likely stuck.


THE STINK: Stove
THE SOLUTION: Before you turn on the burner, turn on the range hood - every single time. Why? Some of the particles and gases that come off the stovetop while you're cooking have been connected to respiratory health problems, particularly in children. And regularly clean your range hood filters (you can actually access it by snapping of the tabs near the vent)

4 Safe anti-smell cleaning weapons

BAKING SODA mix it with water to create a paste to wash walls or other surfaces that smell, or leave an open box in enclosed spaces that are odorous, such as the bottom of the laundry bin or garbage can.

BORAX just as useful as baking soda, but more concentrated. Dump 2 tsp. in the garage disposal, wipe down smelly surfaces with a mix of 1/2 tsp. of borax and a cup of warm water, or spray the mixture on plants to kill bugs and mold (and not the plant).

VINEGAR white vinegar and water, mixed in equal parts, sanitizes. And that vinegar smell disappears as soon as it dries. Try the mixture in coffeemakers, as well as on any non-stone surfaces around the house.

THE VACUUM vacuum, vacuum, vacuum. Really. It removes an array of particulates, which prevents all sorts of future smelly growth. HEPA vacuum filters are ideal because they capture and remove many more particulates, but even a regular vacuum will help substantially.

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