How To Stop Cooking Smells From Going Upstairs

Food smell traveling upstairs and lingering for days? 

Then you should think about how to stop cooking smells from going upstairs. It’s because cooking odors contain high levels of particulate matter. Discover magazine expresses that- Chronic exposure to high particulate matter exacerbates asthma.

However, you can’t prevent this problem without knowing the exact reasons. Most of the time, improper ventilation is responsible. If you follow some strict steps, the cooking smell won’t travel upstairs anytime. 

Why Does My Upstairs Smell?

Cooking smells can quickly go upstairs if it’s an open-plan kitchen. It can also happen in a regular kitchen of any size. Here you know some top reasons for spreading cooking odors in the house. 

Improper ventilation

Improper ventilation means all cooking odors will spread over the nearby area. It’ll easily affect the upstairs, making your house challenging. Cooking odors with extreme spice can cause sneezing and respiratory problems. 

There are 250 million people in the world who suffer from food allergies. Some people with food hypersensitivity by inhalation deserve good ventilation in the kitchen. 

Strong food aroma

Some food ingredients have a strong aroma that is hard to resist. Sooner or later, the aroma will spread upstairs. Here’s a list of the most common food items with a strong aroma.

  • Onions
  • Garlic
  • Fish
  • Curry
  • Pork
  • Beef
  • Chicken

Overcooking

Overcooking means frying something with extra time, producing excessive fumes. Furthermore, the upstairs can be filled with lousy cooking odors if you overcook any vegetables. 

Charred and burnt foods have carcinogenic substances. And it’s hard to prevent these substances without taking any prevention steps. 

How To Stop Cooking Smells From Going Upstairs

Here you know a detailed process of how to stop cooking smells from going upstairs. 

Apply baking soda

Baking soda is effective in disappearing any cooking odor. It has a chemical compound called sodium bicarbonate which helps to remove odors from different areas. 

Baking soda brings both acidic and essential odor molecules into a neutral condition. (Ref: Oconto.extension.wisc.edu) After mixing baking soda in water, keep it in a safe place in the kitchen before starting to cook. It’ll absorb cooking smells. 

Use an air cleaner

An air cleaner or purifier works as a kitchen odor-removal machine. Its activated carbon filter absorbs cooking smells instantly, keeping your upstairs clean. Additionally, the HEPA filter will help to eliminate kitchen pollutants. 

Prevent oil from burning

Don’t burn the oil for a long time unless you want to spread cooking smells upstairs. Any kind of unrefined oil should be avoided while cooking at high temperatures. 

Lindsay Wengler, a registered dietitian at Olive Branch Nutrition, says that the oil’s molecular breakdown is risky for generating carcinogenic compounds. And you already know they’re injurious to your health. 

Check out this chart for being conscious while cooking: Smoke point of cooking oils

Go For A Charcoal Filter Splatter Screen

Facing cooking smells in the bedroom constantly? We recommend starting cooking with a charcoal filter splatter screen. 

It primarily absorbs the burning smell, keeping the environment toxicity-free. Splatter screens are the best to catch the droplets of grease from escaping.

Lemon boiling method

Lemon slices could help remove cooking smells from downstairs. Cut lemon slices are proven to absorb the kitchen smell using citric acid. It’s simple: cut them in two halves, boil them for a few minutes and start cooking. 

Using coffee grounds

Start by leaving an open bowl of coffee grounds on your countertop. After an hour, start your regular cooking. Its acidic java helps to break down aromatic compounds in the food. The value of its pH range is around 4.85 to 5.10. That’s how you have zero odor upstairs. 

Using a cooking smell extractor

A food smell or cooking smell extractor is another expensive item, like an air purifier. It’s famous for removing airborne grease, fumes, odor, and steam when cooking. 

Conclusion

The presence of cooking smells in the house isn’t always pleasing. It can be disgusting when the talk is about frying or overcooking. The good part is it’s never hard to prevent this problem before affecting it strongly. 

Now you know how to stop cooking smells from going upstairs. Some of the methods are natural, and some of them are artificial. Using any instrument is expensive but reduces time and ensures the best output. 

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