Natural oven refresh: Lemon and vanilla for lasting freshness
Sometimes after baking in the oven, unpleasant odours linger and are difficult to remove. In such moments, you don't need to reach for strong chemical agents — a simple trick using lemon and vanilla extract will suffice. It's a quick and natural way to refresh the oven, which will also fill the kitchen with a pleasant, delicate aroma.
17 November 2024 08:51
The oven is one of the places in the kitchen that often accumulates intense smells, especially after baking meat, fish, or cheese. Fortunately, there is a way to quickly refresh the oven using simple ingredients: lemon and vanilla extract. This natural trick will help you get rid of unwanted smells, leaving the oven smelling fresh and subtly scented with vanilla.
Why lemon and vanilla extract?
Lemon has natural refreshing and odour-neutralising properties, making it perfect for the kitchen. Lemon juice also has antibacterial and antiseptic effects, which help remove bacteria and accumulated impurities. Meanwhile, vanilla extract imparts a pleasant, warm aroma to the oven interior that spreads throughout the kitchen. Combining lemon and vanilla not only effectively eliminates odours but also introduces a cosy atmosphere into the kitchen.
What will you need?
- 1 lemon,
- a few drops of vanilla extract,
- 300 millilitres (approx. 1 cup) of water.
Step by step:
- Slice the lemon and place it into an oven-safe dish. Pour water over it, then add a few drops of vanilla extract.
- Set the dish in the oven preheated to 150°C and leave it for about 20–30 minutes.
- The lemon-vanilla steam starts working after just a few minutes, neutralising odours and imparting a pleasant aroma to the oven.
- Once done, leave the oven door slightly ajar to let the fragrance disperse well.
Additional tips:
- to make the smell last longer, you can place a bowl of baking soda in the oven — the baking soda will absorb any remaining odours and maintain freshness,
- consider using the lemon and vanilla extract trick regularly, especially after baking dishes with intense aromas.
