How to remove kitchen odors

These are excellent tips for cleaning the kitchen.

by Joanne Henning Tedesco —

If you have to clean something that has a strong odor, put a bit of Vick’s® VapoRub® under your nose (not inside the nostrils). You will not smell anything else, and its menthol scent will also keep your sinuses clear.

Following are some cleaning hints to help you in the kitchen:

Fish odors — Put a mixture of water and citronella in a potpourri burner or any type of pot, bring to a boil and let the steam rid the kitchen of the smell. To eliminate odors when frying fish, thinly slice lemons and put them in the pan as the fish fries.

Refrigerator odors — Spread baking soda or freshly ground coffee in a shallow pan and let it stand uncovered in the refrigerator for a few days.

Garbage disposal — Throw a few lemon rinds and ice cubes in the garbage disposal once a week to keep it smelling fresh.

Microwave oven — Combine one cup of water, the juice and grated peel of one lemon and several whole cloves in a two-cup glass measuring cup or bowl. Boil for several minutes using 100 percent power. Allow mixture to sit in oven until cool. Wipe interior of microwave with a soft cloth.

Countertops — Remove garlic and onion odors by washing the countertop areas with a solution of one tablespoon of chlorine bleach and one cup of water. Let sit for five minutes, then rinse thoroughly.

Plastic containers — Lingering odors can be removed from plastic containers by putting crumpled-up newspaper inside and sealing tightly. Let sit overnight, and the smell should disappear.

Wastepaper baskets — Put a fabric softener sheet on the bottom of a wastebasket bin to prevent odors.

Odors on hands — To remove the odor from your hands after slicing foods such as onions or garlic, just hold a metal spoon between your hands and run cold water over them.

Joanne Henning Tedesco is editor of AzNetNews.

Reprinted from AzNetNews, Volume 31, Number 6, December 2012/January 2013.