How to Get Rid of Curry Odor in the House (7 Little-Known Hacks You’ll Wish You Knew Sooner)
Don’t let the not-so-appealing after-smell stop you from making your favorite curry dish at home.
If we had to list a few dishes whose signature aroma alone tickles the taste buds and makes one’s mouth water, curry would be up there.
There’s nothing quite as soul-satisfying as indulging in a simmering bowl of freshly homemade curry that rivals that prepared by popular curry food joints in town. The richness of the gravy, the burst of flavors……….YUM! Seriously, what’s not to love about curry?
Oh wait, there’s one not-so-loveable thing about it — its unpleasant after-smell.
Making curry at home is all fun and games until you wake up on a Monday morning, and the first thing that hits your nose is the lingering smell of the dish you prepared over the weekend.
Fortunately, there are a couple of simple yet effective ways to help you eliminate the unpleasant odor faster and completely.
The best part?
Some of the products you’ll need for these tried-and-true DIY hacks are probably chilling in your pantry.
Let’s get right into it, shall we?
Curry Nightmare: Try These 7 Easy Hacks to Remove Curry Odor From Your House Completely
The star of any curry dish is curry powder, which is more like a cocktail of other aromatic ingredients. Think garlic powder, turmeric, onion powder, cumin……the list goes on.
It’s no wonder curry dishes often emit such a strong aroma while cooking— all the different strong-smelling spices burst to life at the same time and, unfortunately, hang in the air longer than your nose would like.
If your house is a victim of the unpleasant curry fragrance, here are a few tricks and tips to eliminate the pungent odor once and for all:
- Open Windows While (and After) Cooking
Cooking curry with the kitchen windows closed only means that the powerful smell and greasy curry steam will remain trapped in your kitchen (and even make its way into the other rooms).
To avoid this, make sure you open your kitchen windows sooner than later (and for as long as possible) to usher out the strong smell and allow lots of fresh air in.
Pro Tip: Besides leaving the windows open, turn on your kitchen’s ceiling fan before and after cooking. Also, it’s wise to close the kitchen door as you cook to ensure the smell doesn’t escape to the next rooms.
- Use Baking Soda
At this point, we’re tempted to think there’s nothing baking soda can’t fix. It’s hailed a miracle worker — and rightfully so — thanks to its incredible odor-absorbing abilities.
You only need to pour a generous amount of baking soda into a bowl and leave the bowl uncovered in the smelly room. This non-toxic pantry staple will suck up the stench in the air, leaving the room odor-free.
Another effective way to use baking soda is to mix it with water, transfer the solution to a spray bottle, and then wipe down the kitchen surfaces that are likely to have traces of the greasy curry steam (we see you, kitchen cabinets)
If the odor unfortunately settled in your living room, spritz this solution on your curtains, upholstery furniture, and carpet.
3. Give Coffee Grounds A Try
Coffee grounds have a lot more to offer besides caffeinating your dreaded mornings. Just like baking soda, coffee also has odor-absorbing abilities.
Simply pour a good amount of dry coffee grounds into a bowl and let it sit overnight in the stinking rooms. You’ll thank us later when you wake up to the pleasant smell of coffee and not the annoying curry stench.
4. Boil Lemon Slices
We can’t think of anything “lemon-y” without the fresh citrus scent coming to mind.
To kick out curry odor from your home, simply slice up several lemons, add water into a pot, throw in the lemon slices, and leave the pot to simmer on the stove for several minutes.
The fresh steam from the boiling lemons will neutralize the horrible curry smell and leave your house smelling fresher than ever.
Pro Tip: Add a few spoons of baking soda into the boiling lemon water for that extra odor-removal effectiveness.
5. Vinegar Works Wonders
There’s a long list of what white vinegar can do, one of them being blasting away unbearable odors in the house — like lingering curry smell.
All you need to do is grab your pot, mix about a quarter cup of this holy grail with two cups of water, and let the vinegar solution simmer on the stove.
The acidic vinegar steam will neutralize the unpleasant smell of curry.
If you hate vinegar’s smell, consider adding a few drops of a fresh-smelling essential oil — like citrus, for instance.
6. Use Salted Potato Slices
Trust us, potatoes aren’t just for casseroles. They have some pretty impressive odor-absorbing superpowers when salted.
To chase away the curry stench using potatoes, cut several potatoes into halves and sprinkle lots of salts on the cut surfaces. Once you do this, place the salted potato pieces (with the salted sides facing up) at different spots in the smelly rooms.
The salted potato slices will suck up the curry odor hovering in the air.
7. Clean Up Everything Immediately
Instead of letting the used dishes sit in the sink long after enjoying your curry dish, clean up as soon as possible. Also, remember to throw away any curry leftovers in the trash bag.
Getting Rid of Curry Odor in the House: Final Thoughts
Curry’s unmistakable aroma is notorious for overstaying its welcome.
Luckily, there are easy DIY solutions to eliminate this unpleasant odor so that your home can go back to smelling “normal” again in no time. From sprinkling baking soda to boiling lemon slices, pouring coffee grounds, and airing out your house, the options are plenty.
What’s your go-to hack? Feel free to brag about your genius curry odor-removal trick in the comments below. We’d love to hear all about it.
Now, if you’ll excuse us, we’ve got some cooking to do.
