What Is The Best Scent To Eliminate Kitchen Odors?

All kinds of smells are created in the kitchen. Whether it's the fragrant, wafting scent of roasted garlic or the less-pleasant odor of too-old seafood or garbage that needs to go out, there's always a scent brewing. It's not easy to keep your kitchen smelling its best at all times, but for those stubborn smells that you definitely don't want to stick around, there's an easy fix: citrus scent. This vibrant fragrance doesn't just keep bugs away on the patio; it also reduces odors in the kitchen.

Citrus has long been a kitchen cure-all; lemon juice is great for cleaning cutting boards, removing glassware streaks, and even de-greasing the microwave. But it's also an excellent air freshener. That acidic, bright citrus scent is great for neutralizing odors, so whether you're interested in making your own air freshener or would rather save time and buy one, it's never a bad thing to have some kind of citrus in your kitchen. Plus, it's a more pleasant smell than vinegar or unscented baking soda.

The citrus juice and peel both have purpose here. To help eliminate garbage odors, you can slice up some lemon or orange peels, then place them in the bottom of the garbage can, where the scent will help tackle those stubborn smells from old food. If you want the citrus scent to permeate the whole kitchen, there are two options: buy an air freshener, or make one.

For a quick fix, air fresheners like the Glade PlugIn will offer a continuous burst of citrus scent. You can also spray as needed by using a freshener like the Febreze Air Mist. If you prefer to go the homemade route, you don't even need to be crafty. Just add some lemon essential oil to a spray bottle with a little rubbing alcohol and distilled water, then shake it. The end result is a lemon-scented room spray; you can spritz it in the kitchen before or after cooking to help cover up any harsh odors. Keep in mind that some kitchens smell for reasons that citrus won't eliminate, such as a stinky kitchen sink due to food buildup, so investigate to make sure the problem doesn't need a more thorough solution.