How To Get Rid Of Lingering Fried Food Smells In The Kitchen

Frying breaded chicken drumsticks, fish, or veggies can give your food an ultra-rich and satisfying flavor, but after the cooking process, your home may be left with an overwhelming odor that won't go away no matter how many windows you open or essential oils you diffuse. That's why we turned to Bree Uebergang, expert cleaner and founder of plant-based detergent line Filthy Clean. She shared a few tips to get rid of bad kitchen smells that don't involve much work at all.

"The best preventative solution is to run your range hood fan," Uebergang tells Tasting Table. "This shapes the airflow to direct the airborne particles away from porous surfaces that are so good at absorbing [odors]," she adds. The main reason why fried food smells linger is that pan-frying creates tiny droplets of grease and moisture that can land on towels, curtains, and any other nearby surfaces.

Turning on your range hood fan, preferably to its highest setting when frying foods, literally sucks up these aerosolized droplets, or at least most of them if the fan has been properly maintained, before they reach any absorbent material. A range hood also plays a bigger role than you might expect. It helps reduce the harmful pollutants that are emitted by frying, not just the smell. These can include nitrogen dioxide and carbon monoxide. So if you want better air quality and none of that stinky fried food smell, your best bet is to use your range hood fan every time.

Using a range hood fan is only a part of the solution, albeit a major one. Uebergang also suggests opening a few windows to get rid of the overwhelming odor. This is "to create airflow that sucks air out of the house, but this can be unpredictable as the outside air may just push back the particles and circulate them," she says. For this reason, a range hood fan is your first line of defense.

Now, what do you do if you already fried your food and the smell is permeating throughout your house? This can be even worse if you have a small place and the smell infuses every nook and cranny. "Run a vinegar steam," suggests Uebergang. "All you've got to do is mix equal parts white vinegar and water on your stove then bring to a boil." This is the only time she does not recommend running your range hood fan, since you need that steam to move throughout your kitchen.

If you can, place any kitchen towels or other items that absorb odors closer to the steam to better neutralize the smell. How does this work? "White vinegar contains acetic acid that neutralizes the alkaline odors of cooking odors seen in oils and proteins," Uebergang explains. And if you're worried about the intense vinegar smell lingering, don't. "Once the vinegar smell dissipates, so too will the odors from your fried food," states Uebergang.