When we clean our kitchens, we know the important areas to hit—the counters, the cabinets, the stove, etc. But there are many other sneaky places where odors can hide in your kitchen that you may be missing while cleaning. Below, we explain some of the spots you shouldn’t miss during your next kitchen cleaning session.
Vent Hood
The vent hood is integral in our kitchens while cooking, as it keeps our homes from becoming stinky, smoke-filled messes. But often, we forget about the vent hood when it comes time to clean the kitchen, or when we do, we settle for giving it a simple exterior wipe-down.
Taking apart and thoroughly cleaning your vent hood will make your kitchen smell better and reduce the potential fire hazard of the hood. Every couple of months or so—depending on how often you cook in your kitchen—dismantle the vent hood and soak it in soapy water before scrubbing it with steel wool to eliminate built-up grease.
Refrigerator
Another sneaky place odors hide in your kitchen is the fridge. Many people don’t realize that the fridge is one of the most common causes of odor in your home. This is because leftover food, condiments, jars, and stains can cause lingering smells that escape every time you open the fridge.
The hard-to-reach nooks and crannies of the fridge, especially the top of the fridge, can be magnets for smells and bacteria. So give your fridge a thorough cleaning—inside and out, top to bottom.
Garbage Disposal
We know that we have to clean our sinks regularly, but when did you last clean the garbage disposal underneath? After all, we always use the garbage disposal to toss out nasty leftover food, but many of us may not realize that the lingering smells are emanating from our disposal after use.
Next time you clean your sink, take out the garbage disposal gasket for a thorough cleaning. There are a few strategies for cleaning garbage disposals, and one effective method is to let it soak in vinegar and hot water before scrubbing it with a small brush.
Toaster
Be honest; when was the last time you cleaned your toaster? Many of us use the toaster almost every day but don’t think of it when it comes time to clean the kitchen—or when we do, we wipe it down and try to shake out any loose crumbs inside.
The debris from your toaster can cause lingering odors in your kitchen, and it’s also a fire safety hazard if you don’t clean it enough. To properly clean your toaster, disassemble it to remove every breadcrumb you can from inside.
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