How to Get Rid of Kitchen Smells Without Plug Ins
To get rid of kitchen smells, stop them at the source: run the extractor while you cook and for 15 minutes after, and open a window. Clean the hob and bin straight away and keep doors closed, then add a fresh herbal or citrus scent to finish. If your kitchen opens onto the living space, our guide to reed diffusers for flats shows how to scent each zone.
Why do cooking smells linger?
Frying and spicy food release tiny droplets of fat and odour into the air, and they settle on fabrics, walls and cupboards. In open plan UK kitchen diners, they float straight onto the sofa and curtains, which is why last night's curry can still be there in the morning.
What should you do while you cook?
- Extractor on high before you start, and for 15 minutes after you finish.
- Open a window near the hob, and one on the other side of the room for a through draught.
- Lids on pans wherever you can, to keep the steam and splashes in.
- Close doors to the rest of the house so the smell stays in one room.
What should you do straight after cooking?
- Wipe the hob, splashback and extractor filter area while they are warm, as the grease lifts easily.
- Take the bin out if it has food waste in it.
- Wash pans rather than leaving them to soak overnight.
- Run the dishwasher, or leave its door open to air.
Clean as you go
Most kitchen smells come from small things left to sit, so the easiest fix is to deal with them as you cook. Wipe up spills on the hob before they bake on. Brush crumbs and dried seasoning off the worktop too, as they smell each time the hob heats up. Wash up every day, because dirty plates start to smell within hours.
Dishcloths and sponges are a hidden source of sour smells. Wash cloths on a hot cycle every few days and replace sponges often. Once a week, clear out anything past its best and wipe the fridge shelves. An open tub of bicarbonate of soda at the back soaks up food smells.
Choose cleaning products with a scent you enjoy, since the kitchen will smell of whatever you last wiped it with. White vinegar is good at cutting grease, but its sharp smell hangs about, so open a window afterwards.
How do you keep the sink and drain fresh?
A smelly sink is often the real reason a kitchen never feels fresh. Scrape plates into the bin or food caddy before you wash up, and use a sink strainer so bits of food never reach the pipe.
Once a week, lift out the plug and clean it with an old toothbrush, along with the overflow hole, where grime builds up out of sight. Then pour a few spoonfuls of bicarbonate of soda down the plughole and follow it with a cup of white vinegar. Leave it to fizz for about 15 minutes. Rinse it through with plenty of hot water and a squeeze of washing up liquid to shift any grease.
Keep the food caddy and main bin fresh too. Empty food waste every day, especially fish and meat scraps, and wash the bin out with hot soapy water once a month.
What absorbs cooking smells?
Bowls of bicarbonate of soda or white vinegar are popular tricks for absorbing odour overnight. Simmering water with lemon slices can freshen the air for an hour. They help, but they do not last.
For a fresher simmer pot, add lemon slices, a sprig of rosemary and a splash of vanilla extract to a pan of water. Keep it on the lowest heat. Top up the water as it boils off, and turn it off whenever you leave the room.
What should you do each week?
- Clean the extractor filter, because a greasy filter stops working and starts to smell itself.
- Wash tea towels and oven gloves, which soak up cooking smells.
- Wipe the cupboard fronts near the hob.
- Wash the bin.
Then add a fresh finish
Once the smell is gone, a light scent keeps the kitchen feeling clean. Choose herbal or citrus notes, because sweet vanilla scents mix badly with food smells. Herbal notes cut through the heavy smell of cooking, and citrus makes the room feel bright and clean.
A reed diffuser suits kitchens because it needs no socket and works all day. Keep it away from the hob and oven, as heat dries it out. If you like fresh, zesty scents, our Kew Morning is made for this room, with mandarin, bergamot and vetiver that make the room feel fresh and awake first thing in the morning.
Be honest with yourself: a reed diffuser freshens the air, it does not remove cooking smells. Ventilation does that.
Ready to choose? See all our kitchen reed diffusers, in fresh citrus, herbal and green scents that sit well alongside cooking.
Quick answers
How do I get the smell of fried food out of my house?
Ventilate hard, clean the hob and filter, wash fabrics that caught the smell, and keep doors closed next time.
What is the best scent for a kitchen?
Herbal and citrus scents such as lemongrass, rosemary and grapefruit.
Why does my kitchen sink smell?
Food and grease build up in the plughole, the plug and the overflow. Clean them weekly, then flush the drain with bicarbonate of soda, white vinegar and hot water.
Can I put a reed diffuser in the kitchen?
Yes, on a shelf away from the hob and oven. See which scent works in which room.
Find your scent
Browse our luxury reed diffusers, handmade in England in four scents, each matched to the rooms it suits best. Or scent every room at once with our luxury reed diffuser home sets: choose any three reed diffusers for £159 or five for £250.
More answers in our reed diffuser FAQs.
New to IVNA London? Every scent we make comes as a reed diffuser and a matching luxury scented candle, both handmade in England.
