Last week we started down this road with my blog: Spring Cleaning Checklist. Today we are continuing in the cleaning vain. We are talking about smell.. good smell. And we are focusing on the room that’s one of the biggest smell offenders… your kitchen. So what are the tricks to make your kitchen smell good? It’s pretty simple, actually.
I think it’s safe to say that most people love the smell of apple pie cooking in the oven or garlic sauteing on the stove. But nobody, and I mean NOBODY, wants to smell it 2 days later. Leftover kitchen smells just end up making your kitchen smell unclean and gross. Kitchen mess adds to the funk. It can go downhill rather quickly. There are a few obvious things to do to make your kitchen smell good, but some things may surprise you.
1. Take Out The Trash – Often – To Make Your Kitchen Smell Good
This one is kind of a no-brainer. The trash tends to stink, so get it out of the kitchen. One thing we do to cut down on wasted trash bags is to bag within the bag. What I mean by that is that we use recycled vegetable bags to tie up stinky things, like meat wrappings, bones, onion skins, and yucky leftovers. We still take out the trash often, but a little less often because these bags contain the odors. You also need to dump your recycling throughout the week. An old container of milk, even a rinsed out one, can bring on the stink pretty quickly.
2. Clean As You Go To Make Your Kitchen Smell Good
I admit it. I am a messy cook. And I use a lot of dishes and tools in food preparation. Bruce will validate this, but he seldom complains. The reason is that Bruce is a bit of a cleaning nut. He cleans as I go. It’s a gift from God, except when I’m looking for that knife I am still using and he has it cleaned and in the drawer already. Cleaning as you go, is a very good way to keep kitchen smells to a minimum. Nothing hangs around long enough to add unpleasantness.
3. Clean Your Dishwasher and Vent Filters
Smells can be sneaky. They hide in unusual places. The vent over your stove is an obvious smell catcher, but your dishwasher? Isn’t its primary job to CLEAN things, for Pete’s sake? But your dishwasher can actually harbor bacteria and mold in its filters and traps. Who knew? Running a dishwasher cleaner through the cycle once a month can do wonders for this problem. As for the vent, it usually slides out and can be soaked in soapy water or a bleach solution. Your kitchen is smelling better already.
4. Grow Herbs But Mind The House Plants
Growing herbs on your kitchen windowsill is not just helpful for cooking. These good smelling herbs can also make your kitchen smell good. Try things like rosemary, basil, chamomile, and thyme. Perplexed where to begin? Check out: How To Create an Indoor Aromatic Garden on Fragrancex.com. And don’t forget to try thrift and consignment stores when looking for cute pots and planters, like these wall-mounted beauties above. They will make these new herbs you’re adding look even more fabulous.
As For Other Potted Plants …
I always add house plants to my interiors. They add so much style and life to your space. However, they can also add an odor issue if you’re not careful. Make a regular habit of checking house plants for rot and mold due to over-watering and humidity. They can add slinkiness to an otherwise clean kitchen and no one wants that.
5. Open The Windows and Make Your Kitchen Smell Good
You have that exhaust fan over your stove, so you should be all set, right? Nope. Well-ventilated kitchens smell better. Steaming some lobsters? Open the kitchen window. Yes, even in winter. Or, if you lobster a lot, invest in a free standing burner that runs on propane, and keep the mess and the odors outside.
Follow these simple “rules” and you will make your kitchen smell good – all of the time. Here’s to good smells and happy cooking!
No Comments