If you’re always in the kitchen cooking delicious meals, then you’ll need to know how to freshen up a smelly oven.
It’s not uncommon for our ovens to develop bad smells and odors over time, especially if you use it daily. Bad smells are usually caused by a build-up of grease, oil spills or charred food remains that may have dropped off from your baking trays. And while you should also know how to clean your oven often, lingering smells can often be unpleasant, especially if you have guests around!
The good news is, you can easily get rid of bad smells with a few common household items. Best of all, this will save you the hassle and money of buying more cleaning products to clutter your cupboards. So, whether it’s burnt food or fishy seafood, here’s how to freshen up a smelly oven to get rid of odors.
You can also check out I used a smart oven to host a dinner party - here's how it went if you want to upgrade, or if you're after a new gas range, check out the best gas ranges here.
How to freshen up a smelly oven using baking soda and vinegar
Baking soda
Distilled white vinegar
Lemons or orange peelings
Vanilla extract
Steel wool sponge
Scented candle
1. First, sprinkle a cup of baking soda into the bottom of the oven to clean your oven. Then, fill a spray bottle with two cups of white vinegar to create a non-toxic, cleaning solution.
2. Next, spray the white vinegar onto the baking soda to create a paste. Spread the paste on the sides of the oven and let the solution sit for 20 minutes. Then, scrub the oven with the steel wool sponge to thoroughly clean before wiping down with a clean cloth.
4. Pour white vinegar into an oven-safe bowl and place on the lowest rack in the oven. Heat the oven on a low setting or about 200-degrees, and leave the water to boil for about one hour. Alternatively, if you have a self-clean mode, you can use this setting. The vinegar will evaporate and absorb all the bad smells from your oven.
How to freshen up a smelly oven using fresh lemon and water
1. Lemons and oranges are a great way to naturally freshen a smelly oven. First, fill an oven-proof bowl with an inch of water.
2. Next, slice two or three lemons in half and place the slices in the bowl. You can do this same process with oranges, but just use the orange peel rather than fruit.
3. Preheat the oven to 120-degrees F and place the bowl on the rack to boil for about an hour. This should naturally detox the air and remove any bad smells
How to freshen up a smelly oven using vanilla extract and water
1. First, fill an oven-proof bowl with an inch of water before adding one teaspoon of vanilla extract to it.
2. Next up, place the dish in the oven and heat for over an hour on a setting of 350-degrees F. This will leave your oven smelling fresh and fragrant.
How to get rid of cooking smells
If you don't want the smell of fried foods or cooking oil to linger around the house, here are some tricks you can do to get rid of cooking smells in the home.
1. Leave a small bowl or jug of vinegar out on your kitchen counter overnight. Similarly, you can open a box of baking soda and leave it out overnight. These will help to absorb lingering smells.
2. Light a scented candle or incense sticks during cooking. Scents such as citrus or spice will help to eliminate strong cooking odors. Plus, your home will smell lovely and fragrant.
3. While it may seem noisy, cook with the extractor fan on to help remove strong smells. Especially if you’re frying foods on your stove top.
