Curry is an aromatic Indian dish that is infused with incredible amounts of strong spices such as turmeric and cumin. It is very difficult to get rid of the strong persistent odor because the spices release odorous fumes when they are cooked. Even after cooking, the spice smell continues to penetrate permeable surfaces (e.g. walls, carpets, upholstery, draperies). To get rid of the smell, you need to destroy the fat molecules themselves. There are several things you can do to eliminate curry smell from your apartment or house.
Steps
Method 1 of 3: How to cover up the smell of curry
Step 1. Wash your face and hands with lemon or lime
Go into the shower and wipe your skin with lemon or lime, because it absorbed the smell of curry when cooking it (skin of the face, hands). The acidity of the lemon or lime will help break down the essential oils that cause the curry smell. Then just wash your hands with soap and water as usual.
- Do not rub cuts and wounds with lemon, otherwise you will feel severe burning and pain.
- Do not wear the clothes you used to cook this dish (such as a T-shirt or sweater).
Step 2. Use air fresheners
For example, you can try an air diffuser, deodorized aerosols, scented candles. It is also very helpful to use an air freshener sprayed on the fabric. Spray it on everything in the kitchen (where you made the curry): carpet, upholstery, curtains, walls.
- It is a great idea to mix several of these air fresheners.
- Be sure to carefully read the instructions on the product packaging to ensure proper use.
Step 3. Brew flowers or leaves of plants that give off a pleasant aroma
Pour two cups of water into a saucepan and bring the water to a boil. Then add something flavorful: kevra leaves, vanilla extract, and so on. Leave the infusion to simmer for at least an hour. The scent of boiled flowers and plant leaves will mask the smell of curry.
- Pandanus leaves (also known as pandanus leaves) can be purchased at an Asian grocery store or specialty grocery store.
- There is no definitive recommendation on how much vanilla or pandanus extract to add. Add a few twigs to get started, and then report as needed.
Step 4. Ventilate the apartment
Open the windows and create a draft, leave the apartment to ventilate for a couple of days. You may even need to replace filters in your heating and cooling systems to keep the curry smell out.
Method 2 of 3: Using Refreshing Sprays
Step 1. Mix vinegar and water to create a liquid that absorbs odors
Mix one glass of water and two tablespoons of white vinegar and pour this solution into a spray bottle. Vinegar is a natural home remedy that deodorizes the air in a room.
This is hardly a long-term solution, but you can also place containers of vinegar all over your home to absorb the odor
Step 2. Mix equal proportions of water with antiseptic
An antiseptic can be purchased online or in a store. Some solutions contain live bacteria, which absorb the unpleasant odor produced by the bacteria. This will remove unwanted scent from your home.
Step 3. Spray the entire solution around the house
It doesn't matter if you choose a vinegar solution or an antiseptic solution - spray it on all surfaces, including walls, cabinets, carpet, ceiling, draperies. Pay attention to sticky areas where odors are best trapped.
- Before spraying the solution, check if the solution will change the color of the coating - make sure that the structure and color of the fabric will not be affected. To do this, spray a little of the mixture on an inconspicuous area of fabric or surface. Wait a few minutes and blot the area with a tissue. Pay attention to any changes in the fabric and see if the color of the napkin has changed.
- Do not spray air freshener near electrical appliances.
- Check the instructions for the cooling and heating systems to ensure the filters are washable. Some filters need to be washed in a special solution, others can be cleaned with soapy water. However, it is possible that the filter will have to be replaced with a new one.
Step 4. Use an antiseptic to clean the drains in your home
Drainage holes are often clogged, which can lead to unpleasant odors spreading throughout the home. Antiseptics can help clean your plumbing and remove odors.
Follow the directions on the bottle label for a detailed description of how to use the solution
Step 5. This process should be repeated once a week
If the odor persists, try spraying all surfaces in your home at least once a week. Thus, living microbes will be able to destroy the molecules of the unpleasant odor.
If you can still smell the smell after four tries, try combining this method with another
Method 3 of 3: How to get rid of stubborn odors
Step 1. Try the steam cleaning method for carpets and upholstery
There are professional carpeting cleaners that can be ordered at home, and carpets can be steam cleaned by dry cleaning or renting a steam cleaning machine and doing it yourself. Now in stores there is a huge selection of cleaning products that are designed specifically to eliminate unpleasant odors. You can try other options, such as Oxyclean, vinegar, or bleach.
- If you decide to use an antiseptic solution, you should not use steam cleaning for at least a month. The solution should be used 4 months before steam cleaning.
- Do not use conventional vacuum cleaners or cleaners such as baking soda and carpet shampoos because they do not penetrate carpet backing, where odor builds up.
- Professional cleaning of carpets is very different from manual cleaning in terms of cost, because the cost depends on the size of the house (apartment) and the number of rooms that need to be cleaned. In general, you can pay about 3000 rubles for one room. In some companies, the cost is calculated based on the area (for each square meter).
- When it comes to renting a steam cleaner for cleaning, most companies pay by the hour. You can find a steam cleaner and the necessary products at your local hardware store.
Step 2. Use an ozonizer to eliminate odor molecules
Ozone is a reactive particle that is chemically capable of attracting molecules in the air and on surfaces, reacting with them. Oxide in ozone chemically changes the structure of the molecule, eliminating unpleasant odors. The ozonizer can be purchased online or at a hardware store. It will cost you 10,000 - 100,000 rubles.
- Usually the instructions tell you to turn on the generator and leave it in a closed room for an hour, but you can leave it on for 3-4 hours.
- Ozone is very effective at removing odors because it is able to penetrate wherever air can enter: walls, ceilings, vents, carpets, upholstery and more.
- You can read online reviews and customer reviews that discuss the different characteristics of ozone generators, such as cost, size, noise, durability, and efficiency.
- Ozonizers are usually purchased when air purification is needed on a large scale (eg after curry). But ozone generators cannot be used to eliminate allergens as they can cause major health problems.
Step 3. Try a photocatalyst for air purification
Some companies have special machines based on the advanced photocatalytic oxidation (UV) process. This process uses air and water to produce hydrogen peroxide and hydroxyl particles. This process cleans the air and all surfaces in the house (apartment). It not only eliminates odor, but also destroys the compounds that create that odor.
- In most cases, 12 hours (or less) are enough, while people, objects, clothing and carpets can safely stay at home.
- You can purchase a photocatalytic air purifier, which is based on the same process that causes bad odor. Purifiers and filters can be found on the Internet for about 10,000 rubles.
Step 4. Re-paint the walls
Turpentine will help remove grease from kitchen surfaces. Then remove the paint from the walls, grind it, heat it, or use chemicals. Then apply a layer of plaster that will block the bad smell and keep it inside the walls, as well as prevent other odors from entering. Finally, select the desired paint and add ingredients that neutralize odors (for example, additives based on vanilla extract or chemical additives).
- To eliminate grease, mix equal proportions of turpentine, flaxseed oil and white vinegar. Then use a thin cloth to wipe the grease off the kitchen surfaces. After that, you don't need to wash them again, just let them dry or wipe them off with a paper towel.
- Turpentine has a pungent smell, so it should be used in a well-ventilated area; Remember to wear rubber gloves and a mask to protect yourself, and immediately limit your work area by marking the borders with cloth or cardboard.
- When adding different ingredients to paint, follow these guidelines: Add two tablespoons of vanilla extract to one liter of paint. You can also add a variety of odorless ingredients (which you can buy at a building materials store). These additives eliminate odor, not just block it.