#45: Keeping a Nice-Smelling Kitchen

Aahh... the smelly goodness of tuyo served with vinegar.
Thank you panlasang pinoy for the pic!

Our kitchen is our kingdom. It is our lair. It is where our family's delight are sauteed, stewed and baked so we better make it a nice place to stay in. I have a number of things in my mind that will keep our kitchen (at least) smelling clean. Filipinos most especially need to do this because we just loooooove garlic and patis (fish sauce) and bagoong (fish paste) of all colors, tastes and odors. Not to mention tuyo, buro, dilis, tinapa, durian... the list goes on and on! Yes, I know there is still the clutter but perhaps we can talk a bout that on another (looong) entry, hahaha. The Clutter Monster, after all, is a very tough foe. So let's attend to the smell first. :-)



1. Install an exhaust fan. Not all homes or stoves have those range hoods that you can switch on to suck up all the air-borne grease and odors in the kitchen. So if you have a little window space near the stove, better install one. It will force the kitchen smell out and will avoid that stale oily smell sticking on your upholstery and clothes. This is most needed in small homes where the dining doubles as a receiving area.t a single item. 

Would you believe I got this pic from a tech site? Hahaha!

2. Keep small plastic bags handy. You know those little bags that they give you in the supermarket when you buy small single items? Give them a fresh purpose in life by recycling them. Stash them in a plastic bin under the counter where you prepare for your meals. Before you go chopping the garlic and onions,  peeling the vegetables and gutting the fish, take one of these bags and place it beside your chopping board. Place all your wastes and bloody fishy mess straight into that plastic. Soon as you're finished prepping, tie that bag and pop it in your waste bin right away. It avoids creating yucky ooze in your waste bin, too so taking out the trash is less messy.


3. Speaking of trash bin, perhaps you can spend an extra P50 to P100 (a dollar or two) to buy another trash bin. If you already have a covered type, then you may assign it for the biodegradeable trash (that you have previously tied up in little plastic bags, right?) . If your trash bin is uncovered, then assign it to be the non-biodegradable trash bin and buy a nice covered trash bin. The lucky trash bin that will receive the biodegradable trash should be placed outside the kitchen, whether it's your dirty kitchen area or in a corner in your back yard. I know it will take about 40 more seconds of your day to throw the biodegradable trash outside but it's just a little sacrifice for your home and for Mother Earth. 


4. Keep baking soda handy. After you have shaken all the soul and spirit from the grated parmesan cheese you bought (or the cleanser), don't throw the bottle! Clean it up and fill it with baking soda. This will be your first aid kit for a smelly kitchen without being a hazard to the environment. You can sprinkle it on your sink, stove, walls, chopping board and wipe with a clean damp towel. If you want to take this cleaning action a notch higher, put some vinegar on your clean damp cloth. By the way, that vinegar tip works wonderfully in the microwave oven, too! But if your really need heavy-duty grease-cutting, check this product out. It's totally organic and natural and very effective in deodorizing too!


How about you? How do you keep your kitchen smelling good?