5 Kitchen Smells That Can Haunt You for Days — And How to Get Rid of Them
Do you smell that? Is it your partially full garbage can? Or maybe it’s the lingering scent of last night’s sea bass? The rotten leftovers in your refrigerator? Regardless, phew!
As you probably already know, there are so many opportunities for some serious stenches to pop up in every corner of your kitchen. You could invest in some refreshing candles to mask the odors, or you can target them at the source. Here are five common kitchen odors and the products that will help get rid of them.
1. Stinky Sinks
These little sticks do it all — they break down grease and grime, help prevent clogs, and they deodorize. (See: The $9 Amazon Find That Saves Me More than $100 Each Year in the Kitchen) Just drop one down the drain once a month and it should keep your drain stench-free for 30 days.
Buy: Green Gobbler BIO-Flow Drain Strips, $10 for 24
2. Stinky Trash Cans
Charcoal naturally absorbs and neutralizes odors, so stick this to the lid or an inside wall of your trash can and let it work its magic. Speaking of magic, the way you refresh the filter is to just stick it in the sun for a few hours.
Buy: simplehuman Odorsorb Filter Kit, $6
3. Stinky Fridges
Sure, you could just stick a box of baking soda in the fridge. Or you could hang up one of these filters, which have been specially designed to go in the fridge or freezer. The holder promotes air flow around the baking soda (so it can absorb more of those stinky particles) and it even has an indicator that tells you when it’s time to replace the unit.
Buy: Arm & Hammer Fridge Fresh Refrigerator Air Filter, $14 for four
4. Stinky Air
Maybe you burned something? Or you made fish? Or you didn’t get that fridge filter and you’re getting a whiff of something nasty? Fresh Wave removes odors using simple, natural ingredients and no harsh chemicals. Leave a container on your counter and the gel will evaporate as it works.
Buy: Fresh Wave Odor Removing Gel, $15 for a 15- and 7-ounce container
5. Stinky Sponges
A smelly sponge is sign that it’s covered in nasty bacteria and microorganisms. Instead of cleaning it, what you really need is a new sponge. Ideally one that’s NOT made of cellulose. We love these spaghetti scrubbers, which cut down on the amount of dish soap you’ll need and don’t get that gunky-ness that a regular sponge gets.
Buy: Goodbye Detergent! All-Purpose Spaghetti Scrub, $14 for two at Walmart