I actually love the smell of fish when it's broiling, frying or baking. However, several hours later, after we've long finished our meal but the smell still lingers in my living room, I'm not so fond of it. The pungent fumes seem to hang in the air in my home and stay there. Luckily, the aroma is easy to get rid of. Show
There are quite a few tricks to help get rid of the smell. These tricks also work with other smelly foods, such as bacon, cabbage, Brussels sprouts, liver, and garlic. Tried-and-True Odor Removal MethodsHere are a few methods I've personally used and can recommend. Open Windows and DoorsIf the weather is nice, open all your windows to let the smell escape and fresh air come inside. Even if it is cold, hot, or raining outside, crack your windows, if possible. Even a few small cracks will help air circulate better than if all windows were tightly closed. The sooner you open the windows the better. Open them before you get started cooking, and leave them open throughout and after cooking for as long as possible. Depending upon the time of year, I'll open my back door, also. We have screens on all our windows but not on any of our doors, so if it's early spring and bugs have not yet shown up, I'll leave the door open a good long while. Turn on Fans Before, During, and After CookingTurn on ceiling fans or room fans to help air circulate more quickly and thoroughly. Just like opening the windows, the sooner you get the fans going, the more effective they will be. Get Rid of the Source of the SmellAs soon as your meal is over, tightly wrap and refrigerate leftovers, wash the dishes and take out the trash. Getting the source of the odor cleaned up and out of your home as quickly as possible will reduce the smell in your home. Wipe down kitchen surfaces with lemon juice or vinegar to reduce even more traces of fish odor. Light a CandleSmoker's candles and other highly scented candles do a great job of masking a fishy fragrance. My personal favorites are Tyler Candles, popular here in Texas. One candle puts out plenty of fragrance and lasts a long time. Tyler candles come in many, many varieties; I love "Diva" and "High Maintenance," which have a perfumey smell, rather than a single note or a food flavor smell. Lemon and peppermint scents work especially well to combat food smells in your home. Go ahead and light your candle before you start cooking, and let it burn well beyond your meal and kitchen clean-up time. Simmer a Pot of an Odor-Eating Smell KillerAgain, you can use these methods once you're finished cooking, but the sooner you get a pot simmering on the stove, the more effective it will be. If your oven or microwave has absorbed a fishy smell, place a steaming bowl of one of these substances directly inside and let it sit overnight.
Lemons are a fish-lover's friend. CocteauBoy @ Flickr.com More Odor-Killing MethodsBelow are some odor-removing tricks that I've heard about from friends but have not actually tried, so I can't vouch for their effectiveness. They're all easy, cheap or free, and worth a try.
How About You?How do you get rid of fish odor in your home? Have you tried any of the methods I have not? I'd love to hear what works and what doesn't. Share your tips and tricks in the comments.SmartAndFun (author) from Texas on October 21, 2016: Like flower blossoms in April, my friend. Thanks for asking. How about you? Ali on July 24, 2016: My cook prepared the fish in kitchen..(all scrubbing stuff) and now it stinks like like i cant say. Can you help please. I have washed all area where it was cleaned but still i have to use that clothpin. Ms. Brown on July 03, 2016: Thanks for the tips and funny comments! SmartAndFun (author) from Texas on February 03, 2016: Hi "dan," yes, I smell absolutely delicious but the whale carcass Poetic Failosophy dumped on my front porch stinks to high heaven! dan on February 03, 2016: do you smell good now Mary Norton from Ontario, Canada on February 04, 2015: Interesting tips. I often use lemon or vinegar. Diana F. King-Fyre :: DECEASED, 1962-2014, Rest in Peace from Cuzco, Peroo on December 28, 2013: It has been 3 months since I last besought of you the wisdom of the elders in the banishment of cetacean fragrances from the domicile. Much has transpired, many have perspired, and many have even expired in this span of time, that to the Gods is but a grain of sand in the great hourglass, like that one on the intro of the hit soap opera Days of Our Lives. Grandma has long since returned home from bingo night and I have long since been a slice of charred bread. Countless (34) doilies have perished. But they died bravely, and with honor. Let us remember their sacrifice in the dawn of a new annum. SmartAndFun (author) from Texas on October 04, 2013: LOL bat115! I never dreamed this article would draw many readers, especially any fun ones. I'm glad I was wrong. Thanks for your two cents and for filling me in about your girlfriend and her odor. LOL Tim from Los Angeles, CA on October 04, 2013: Very informative but I find it easier to just buy my girlfriend Summer's Eve. SmartAndFun (author) from Texas on September 26, 2013: LOL, now that this article has all these silly comments, all of the sudden it has 29 views in the last 24 hours. It never got more than 2 or 3 a day before! SmartAndFun (author) from Texas on September 25, 2013: A little Glade should do the trick. Who cares. Sheesh. Diana F. King-Fyre :: DECEASED, 1962-2014, Rest in Peace from Cuzco, Peroo on September 25, 2013: Geez, some help you are lady. I got a rotting humpback whale carcass in the living room, and the gasses expanding inside it are gonna make it 'splode all over my grandma's doily collection. If I don't get rid of that smell before she comes home from bingo night I'm toast! SmartAndFun (author) from Texas on September 25, 2013: PoeticFailosophy, you are a naughty, naughty boy/girl and I love you very much! If only we could all get together and share a few drinks some day. 'Twould be such fun. By the way, haven't I seen that bowtie before? Hmmmmm.... Diana F. King-Fyre :: DECEASED, 1962-2014, Rest in Peace from Cuzco, Peroo on September 25, 2013: With these methods work to remove the smell of dead humpback whale from the home? I'm asking for a friend. Why does my oven smell of fish?The electrical components and wires in your walls and outlets are coated with heat resistant chemicals and plastic coating for insulation. When these chemicals and plastic heat up significantly, they give off a burning odor that can smell like fish.
How do you neutralize the smell of fish?Leave a bowl of vinegar out on the counter overnight to absorb lingering seafood smells. Simmer either vinegar or lemon peels in water on your stove for 20 minutes or so to neutralize the surrounding air, sort of like a natural potpourri.
How do I get the smell out of my oven after cooking?Make a lemon steam to neutralize pungent odors. Simply cut a lemon in half, add it to a pot of boiling water, and let it simmer for ten minutes. Or if you have leftover lemon peels or bits from your cooking, you can boil those too! For even more odor elimination, sprinkle a tablespoon or so of baking soda in the water.
How long does it take for the smell of fish to go away?A fish smell can stay in your house for 12 hours after cooking. The scent will last longer if you've burnt the fish or splattered the kitchen with grease when cooking. If you haven't taken out trash that contains fish reminants, the smell will remain until you do.
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