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Getting rid of food smells

(25 Posts)
Grandmadinosaur Fri 15-Oct-21 20:39:04

Does anyone have any successful tips for getting rid of food smells from the kitchen.
I cooked some cod fillets on Wednesday in foil in the oven and the smell is still lingering. I’ve had a scented candle on in there for a few hours the last 2 days but it hasn’t solved the problem.

annodomini Fri 15-Oct-21 21:19:54

A friend once advised me to burn some brown paper so the smell of burning would cancel out the stink of burnt liver that I'd allowed to boil dry. No, it didn't work.

crazyH Fri 15-Oct-21 21:32:11

I’m watching this with hope ……just fried whole Sea Bass and my whole house is stinking (fish was delicious !!!!)

halfpint1 Fri 15-Oct-21 21:42:20

I have found burning a stick of incense with windows and doors shut does the trick

aggie Fri 15-Oct-21 21:59:38

Cooks candles ? Bowl of water with half a lemon in ?

Grannynannywanny Fri 15-Oct-21 22:02:01

I find the best remedy is to cook something you really like to smell the following day. Today my kitchen smells of the chilli I batch cooked for my grandchildren yesterday. It cancelled out the fishy smell from the previous day. When I returned home today the lingering smell was appetising. Whereas the previous day the fish smell made me want to open all the windows.

HumblePie Fri 15-Oct-21 22:04:14

I wash all soft furnishings that have been in the room with stinky food- tea towels, oven gloves, cloths etc. Then wipe down all my cupboards and surfaces with a scented cleaner (zoflora or Method anti-bac spray). Bicarb and water on any pans that retain a smell. If the oven is the cause of the smell I clean the racks too.

Windows and doors open where possible, then close them while a scented candle or wax melt is burning.

LadyGracie Fri 15-Oct-21 22:46:24

I burn incense.

Esspee Fri 15-Oct-21 23:01:51

The smell is clinging to something. I don’t ever try to mask a smell. If opening windows and doors doesn’t work then wash down your extractor fan and all the surfaces in the kitchen plus any fabric (tea towels, curtains etc.). It might be an idea to have the extractor parts soaked in ammonia and scrubbed as it might be holding smells due to a grease buildup.

Kamiso Fri 15-Oct-21 23:23:32

Cooks candle works but you need to start burning it beforehand.

Blossoming Fri 15-Oct-21 23:34:28

I was given a chef’s candle, it works really well.

tinyurl.com/yrnhv958

CanadianGran Fri 15-Oct-21 23:35:28

Open the windows and put the extractor fan on for as long as possible.

Simmer some vanilla and cinnamon with water in a pan.

JenniferEccles Fri 15-Oct-21 23:39:45

I’m surprised the smell is so strong bearing in mind that the fish was wrapped in tin foil in the oven.

Waitrose has cook bags for fish bought from the counter.
They have a machine to seal the end once the fish is inside.
Possibly other supermarkets have them too.
We had salmon tonight done in one of their cook bags and there was no smell at all after we’d finished.

I can see why it bothers you though as it’s not a pleasant lingering smell.

It reminds me of how when I was a child, my mum would cook some coley for the cat, and the fishy smell did linger somewhat!

I was really shocked some years ago to see that coley is now sold as fish for humans! To me it will always be cheap fish for cats.

nanna8 Fri 15-Oct-21 23:56:53

My car had a vile smell and I eventually worked out that some fish juice had got into one of the shopping bags in the boot. I took the bag out and hosed it in the garden and that is ok now but I can still smell a slight odour in the car. I looked for some of those car deodorisers but couldn’t find any,maybe they don’t sell them any more. We are still in lockdown so when they finally let us out I expect I will find some at one of the $2 shops.

PollyTickle Sat 16-Oct-21 00:02:14

Boil some cloves in a pan water for 10 minutes. If it’s a big kitchen wander about with the steaming pan for a while. Works every time.

kittylester Sat 16-Oct-21 08:55:58

Cooks Candles work really well.

Liz46 Sat 16-Oct-21 09:03:17

I cooked cod loin yesterday evening and am sitting in the kitchen/diner at the moment and can't smell a thing. I lost my sense of smell a few years ago through illness (not covid). It does have some advantages!

Grandmadinosaur Sat 16-Oct-21 09:36:24

Thank you all. I think I will get a cooks candle. I’d also thought about boiling some water and lemon slices in it.

maddyone Sat 16-Oct-21 09:50:00

I hate cooking smells lingering. I always cook with the kitchen window open and put the extractor on. It works.

Cabbie21 Sat 16-Oct-21 10:17:14

I cook most fish in a covered dish in the microwave. There is no lingering smell.

Shropshirelass Sat 16-Oct-21 10:22:46

Spray all soft furnishings with Febreze, it really does work.

Cabbie21 Sat 16-Oct-21 10:33:34

What if you don’t like the smell of Febreze?

greenlady102 Sat 16-Oct-21 10:40:04

Grandmadinosaur

Does anyone have any successful tips for getting rid of food smells from the kitchen.
I cooked some cod fillets on Wednesday in foil in the oven and the smell is still lingering. I’ve had a scented candle on in there for a few hours the last 2 days but it hasn’t solved the problem.

wipe your oven out?
If its a fan oven then run it empty as hot as you can to burn the residue off the fan

Jessica995 Sun 17-Oct-21 05:15:47

Hi, I have heard lemon work wonders to get rid of the foul smell!

grandMattie Sun 17-Oct-21 05:22:47

Cooks candle works every time for me. I now light one before I start cooking fish.
I boil a mug full of water with half a lemon to deodorise the microwave,