So you accidentally burned some garlic to a pan – it happens to the best of us! Unfortunately, getting rid of those hard-to-banish cooking odors is not particularly easy. The next time you cook something with a smell that you just can't seem to get rid of, use these smart tips for clearing the air.

• Close any doors. Take some precautionary steps before cooking things like curries or bacon and close all possible doors. That way, those odors can't waft out of the kitchen and into other areas of your home.
• Clean up splatters immediately. They may seem minimal, but those tiny little splatters over your stove or in your oven just might be the cause of your stinky kitchen. Make sure to clean up any rogue sauce or grease splatters immediately after cooking your strong-smelling dish.
• Leave a bowl of coffee grounds on the counter. Once the damage is done, place a scoop of coffee grounds in a bowl on the counter to absorb the unpleasant scent. Leave them out overnight and you'll wake up to a much fresher-smelling kitchen.
• Work with ventilation. If you have a hood or vent above your stove, don't forget to use it the entire time you cook. Likewise, open all windows in the kitchen and even the rooms surrounding it.
• Simmer natural spices. Make your own concoction of cloves, cinnamon, and citrus peels and let it simmer on the stove after cooking. While unnatural air fresheners just mask the smell, these slow-moving scents might just chase the others away.

5 Tips for Getting Rid of Cooking Smells [The Kitchn]

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