Festive Non-Toxic Ways to Get Rid of Kitchen Odors this Holiday Season

Bake Something Delicious

Is there anything better than the smell of freshly baked cookies, cake, or pie? Fresh baked goods are a universally loved scent. While any dessert you bake is sure to smell divine, we especially recommend recipes with nutmeg, ginger, or cinnamon. Here are some of our favorite recipes that taste and smell delicious:

✦ Cinnamon Roll Apple Pie
✦ Gingerbread Cookies
✦ Grandma Stafford's Nutmeg Cookies
✦ Nutmeg Bread

Make Your Own Potpourri

We’re not talking about the overpoweringly scented potpourri you can buy in the store. Homemade potpourri leaves your home smelling delightfully fresh without causing headaches.

You can DIY with some simple ingredients and items you have at home such as:

✦ 1 of cup cranberries
✦ Orange peels
✦ 2 tsp cloves
✦ 3 rosemary sprigs
✦ 3 cinnamon sticks

How-To:

✦ Drop all of your ingredients into a large saucepan with water.
✦ Bring mixture to a simmer.
✦ Allow the mixture to simmer as long as you wish. Be mindful to add more water as needed.

Grind up Some Lemons

When you’re cooking on a regular basis, it’s not uncommon for your garbage disposal to smell a bit funky. Fortunately, the trick for getting rid of disposal odors is simple. Take half a lemon or lime and drop it into your disposal. Flip the switch and grind it up.

If you find odors continue to linger, try pouring a quarter of a cup of baking soda and a cup of water into the disposal. Allow the mixture to bubble for a few minutes and then run hot water.

Deodorize Your Cutting Board

You clean your cutting board after each use with soap and water, but did you know this handy prep item can be the source of odors? Deodorize your cutting board with salt and cut lemons. Just rub the two into the board, let sit, and rinse thoroughly. Yep, it’s that simple!

Freshen Up Your Oven with Orange Peels

Just like lemons, oranges are great for non-toxic cleaning. If your oven has a chemical smell after cleaning, whisk it away by simply baking orange peels. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Then place some orange peels on a baking sheet and bake for 30 minutes.

DIY Your Own Non-Toxic Surface Cleaner

To make your own surface cleaner, start by gathering the following items:

✦ White vinegar
✦ Orange peels from around 4 oranges
✦ 1 quart-sized mason jar with lid
✦ Spray bottle

Steps:

1. Boil 3 cups of white vinegar in a large saucepan.
2. Place the peels of around 4 oranges into the mason jar. 
3. Once the vinegar is boiled, carefully pour it into the mason jar over the peels.
4. Close the car and leave it in a dark, cool place for two weeks.
5. Strain the mixture and pour half into a spray bottle.
6. Fill the other half of the bottle with water.

(Need a stainless steel cleaner? Here's some of our favorites!)

Soak Up Lingering Fridge Odor

Whether it’s last night’s leftovers or that jar of spaghetti sauce you forgot about months ago, the refrigerator is a prime source of odors. You can go beyond the simple box of baking soda trick with activated charcoal. Place some sachets in your fridge. This powder soaks up bad smells like a sponge.

Whisk Away Lingering Cooking Smells Daily

Of course, the best way to get rid of bad smells is to prevent them. At Hauslane, we’re all about keeping your kitchen clean and fresh. If you’re tired of smelling last night’s salmon and broccoli, check out our guide to selecting the ideal range hood for your needs, budget, and style. Each of our range hoods is designed to trap and suck away bad smells before they have a chance to linger.