Prep first
Before you start
- Check whether your range hood vents outside or recirculates, since the filters differ between the two.
- This item has no care tag, so test any cleaner on a hidden spot before you use it more widely.
- Clear loose food bits from the board, filters and containers before you start.
- Open a window if you can, so the kitchen has fresh air while you work.
Cooking smells cling to whatever they touch: range hood filters, the exhaust screen, wood cutting boards and plastic containers all hold onto onion, garlic, curry and frying oil. The smell also moves through the air, so cleaning one surface rarely clears the whole kitchen, and it can take several steps before the house smells fresh again.
Find the source first, whether it is a greasy hood filter or an onion-scented cutting board. Clean that, then air out the kitchen, and the cooking smell will fade. Plastic containers that held curry or garlic need their own overnight soak.
9 items
What you'll need
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- White vinegarUsed for the odor saucers, the boiled vinegar and water, and the overnight plastic lid soak. (opens Amazon)
- Baking sodaDeodorizes the refrigerator shelf when set out in a saucer. (opens Amazon)
- Kosher or table saltRubbed into the wood cutting board along with the lemon. (opens Amazon)
- Lemon or limeCut into quarters and used to scrub the cutting board.
- Mild dish soapMixed into warm water for soaking the metal filters. (opens Amazon)
- Soft brushScrubs the metal filters and exhaust screen. (opens Amazon)
- Paper towels and a damp clothWipe the board clean and dry it. (opens Amazon)
- Mineral oil or board creamRe-oils the wood board once it looks dry and light.
- Shallow saucersHold the vinegar and baking soda for the air-out step.
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8 steps
Step by step
Step 1 of 8
Check how your hood vents
Look at your range hood to see whether it vents outside through a duct or recirculates the air through a filter. Make sure the exhaust vents directly outside, since that setup is what moves odor out of the house. A ducted hood has washable filters, while a recirculating hood uses disposable carbon filters.
Step 2 of 8
Wash the metal filters and screen
Wash metal filters in the dishwasher, or soak them in warm water with dish soap. Scrub them with a soft brush, rinse, and air dry on a towel. Clean the exhaust screen along with them, since it needs regular cleaning too.
Step 3 of 82-3 minutes
Scrub the board with salt and lemon
Sprinkle kosher or table salt across the wood board. Cut a lemon or lime into quarters and rub the salt into the board, squeezing juice on as you go. Let it sit for 2-3 minutes so the juice and salt can work on the odor.
Step 4 of 8
Wipe the board and let it dry
Wipe the board clean with a damp cloth to lift the salt and juice. Dry it with a paper towel, or stand the board on end so it air dries.
Step 5 of 8
Re-oil the wood board
Once the board looks dry and light, rub mineral oil or board cream over all of its surfaces. Use a light coat, and let it soak in before you use the board again.
Careful. Never use cooking oil on a wood board.
Step 6 of 8
Soak the plastic lids
Soak the plastic covers in white vinegar overnight. In the morning, wash them with soapy water and rinse them well.
Careful. Plastic may keep some odor even after the soak.
Step 7 of 8
Set out vinegar and baking soda
Place partially filled saucers of white vinegar around the room, or boil 1 tablespoon white vinegar in 1 cup of water to eliminate cooking odors. Put a partially filled saucer of baking soda on the refrigerator shelf to deodorize it.
Step 8 of 8
Ventilate the kitchen
If the hood doesn't vent outside, open the closest window and set a fan in it to help push odors out. Keep ceiling fans and A/C registers from blowing across the hood, since their air currents can interfere with its ventilation.
What makes the job easier
Products that help
Keep white vinegar, baking soda, mild dish soap, mineral oil or board cream, and kosher or table salt on hand for this job. A lemon or lime does the fresh-cut scrubbing on the wood board.
OdoBan Odor Eliminator & Disinfectant Concentrate
How we picked these: each product is made for this kind of odor or surface, its maker doesn't warn against using it on cooking smells, and its directions fit the steps above.
Finished? How does it look?
Nice work. Let it dry completely before you use it again.
How to tell it's really done →A faint smell often fades as everything dries and airs out; give it a day before a second round.
Find the guide for your stain →Heavy grime or a lingering smell usually needs a second round once it's fully dry.
See what to do for what you're seeing →When to call a professional →How to tell it's done
The board should not smell of onion when you sniff it after it dries, and the kitchen should smell neutral when you walk in. Everything should be fully dry before you put it back into use. If anything still smells or feels damp, repeat the salt and lemon or the soak, then let it dry again.
If there is a stain too
Related guides
A smell usually has a stain or a spill behind it. These guides cover the cleanup in detail:
What changes for yours
Adjust for the smell
Wood cutting board
Wood holds onto onion and garlic odor in its grain, so the salt and lemon step matters most here. Lemon or lime juice with a little salt is the part that reduces those smells, so don't skip the rub.
After drying, stand the board on end so air can reach it evenly. Then re-oil it when it looks dry and light, which keeps the wood from drying out between cleans.
Plastic containers and lids
Plastic is porous, so it can hold onto the smell of onion, garlic or curry even after you wash it. The overnight vinegar soak is the step that tackles that, and it's worth repeating if the lid still smells.
While the smell clears, keep onion and garlic out of the container. Plastic may just take time, so give it more time before deciding the smell won't leave.
Glass storage
Glass does not absorb stains or odors, so a glass container that held curry or onion usually only needs a normal wash. That makes it a better choice for storing strongly scented leftovers.
If a glass container still smells after washing, check the lid and any plastic parts, since those can hold odor.
Recirculating range hood
A recirculating hood sends the air back into the kitchen through a charcoal filter, so that filter is what holds the frying odor. Replace the charcoal filter about every 6 months with normal use, since it isn't washable.
A ducted hood vents outside instead, and its washable filters need cleaning about every 3 months. Check which setup you have before you clean or replace any filter.
Prevention
Keep the smell from coming back
Make the hood part of every meal you cook, and keep it going for several minutes after the pan comes off the heat. Clean the grease filter often, wash washable filters about every 3 months, and replace a carbon filter about every 6 months if your hood recirculates.
Oil the wood cutting board every 3-4 weeks, depending on how much you use it. Keep onion, garlic and other strongly scented foods out of plastic dishes so the smell doesn't soak in.
Vinegar, baking soda, peroxide and more
Do home remedies get rid of the smell?
Several common household remedies apply to this job, but not all of them do. The ones your steps use are marked as working, and the rest are skipped because they don't address cooking odors.
Works3Skip4
What makes it worse
Mistakes to avoid
Don't skip the hood while you cook
Frying and similar cooking produces strong odors that can hang around after the pan is off. Waiting until the smoke is visible before you switch the hood on lets the odor spread through the room first.
Don't forget the exhaust screen
The exhaust screen gathers grease alongside the filters, so it needs regular cleaning. It's easy to overlook, which is why it belongs in your routine.
Don't let a carbon filter go too long
On a recirculating hood, the charcoal filter should be replaced about every 6 months with normal use. Carbon filters aren't reusable, so a worn-out one can't be cleaned back to working order.
Don't count on the hood alone
If your hood doesn't vent outside, the hood alone may not clear the odor from the room. Open the closest window and use a fan in it to push odors out.
Troubleshooting
If the smell comes back
Pick what you're seeing:
Kitchen smells like cooking again within days
Check whether a ceiling fan or A/C register is blowing across the hood, since those air currents can interfere with its ventilation. If the kitchen always smells like cooking or grease, a dirty hood filter may be the cause, so wash the washable filters again.
Cutting board still smells of onion after the lemon
Repeat the salt and lemon, let it sit 2-3 minutes, then wipe the board clean and dry it fully. If it still looks dry and light, re-oil it with mineral oil or board cream.
Plastic lid keeps its smell after the soak
Plastic can take longer than one soak to clear, so repeat the vinegar soak before you give up on it. Keep onion and garlic out of the dish while you wait.
When to call a professional
If the kitchen still smells after you've cleaned the hood, filters, board and containers, call a professional to check how the hood vents. The venting is the part you can't inspect from the kitchen, so it's worth a closer look.
Questions
How do I get garlic smell out?
Garlic is handled the same way as onion: scrub the wood board with salt and lemon, soak plastic lids in white vinegar overnight, and keep garlic out of plastic dishes. Then air out the kitchen with the hood running, since moving air is what clears the smell.
How do I get rid of kitchen smells in a small apartment?
Run the range hood before you cook and let it run several minutes afterward. If it doesn't vent outside, open the closest window and use a fan in it, then set out vinegar saucers around the room and a baking soda saucer on the fridge shelf.
How do I get rid of burning food smell?
Clean the burnt-on food off the surface first, since baking soda is gentle enough to scrub it. Then air out the room with the hood running and a window open, because moving air is what carries the smell out.
Do air fresheners get rid of cooking smell?
Not really. Most air fresheners mask odors rather than cleaning the air, so the cooking smell is still there underneath. Clean the source and ventilate the kitchen, and the smell is less likely to come back.
Does baking soda in the fridge help with food smells?
Yes, a partially filled saucer of baking soda on the refrigerator shelf helps deodorize the fridge itself. Wipe up any spilled food first, since the saucer is no substitute for cleaning the shelf.
What should I do if I'm not sure a surface can take vinegar?
Test a hidden spot first and watch for any change before using it more widely. Skip vinegar on marble, limestone and finished wood floors, since acid damages those surfaces.
Start from the bigger picture
More odor guides
How we know this
Every method, amount and warning here comes from university extension services, industry bodies and product makers. We read them, check every step for unsafe combinations and changed amounts, and write it up so you can follow it.