20.10.2024

Add a bay leaf to the oil, the age-old trick of many housewives in the kitchen Our grandmothers always did it!

By Lesia

Who doesn’t like to prepare and eat a good plate of fries, fried fish or a Milanese cheese? When we decide to fry, the smell often penetrates our clothes and different corners of the house, and there are those who can’t stand all this. What should we do in these cases? Let’s find out together!


Add a bay leaf to the oil, the age-old trick of many housewives in the kitchen. Our grandmothers always did it!

It’s not enough to close the kitchen door and open the windows. If we don’t want the smell of fried food to permeate the whole house, we can resort to a series of simple and effective tricks.

  1. Add a bay leaf to the pan
    To reduce strong odors such as fried fish, you can add a few bay leaves directly to the pan in which you are frying. Bay leaves give off a pleasant aroma that neutralizes the aroma of the roast.
  2. Check the temperature of the oil


  3. When the oil burns, it produces a strong odor that is difficult to eliminate. That is why it is important to always keep the temperature under control so that it does not exceed 180 ° C. To help you with this task, you can use a simple kitchen thermometer. In this way, you not only guarantee a healthier roast , but you also avoid the formation of toxic substances.
  4. Use special frying equipment
    Another good way to avoid unhealthy frying is to choose appliances that keep the temperature under control , such as the classic fryer or, better yet, the hot air fryer . With the air fryer you can use much less oil, control the cooking time and temperature and thus prepare healthier dishes without losing the crispiness that characterizes classic frying.
  5. Vinegar and baking soda

  6. While cooking, you can place a container of vinegar or baking soda nearby, as they act as absorbent elements due to their composition. Once the frying is finished, you can also boil the water with the vinegar over low heat, add a little orange or lemon zest and let it sit for a while. In this way, you can neutralize the unpleasant smell of frying in the kitchen in no time.
  7. Use an air purifier
    On the market you can also buy devices that absorb bad odors and help to renew the air in the kitchen. In fact, the most modern air purifier models have a sensor that activates automatically when the air changes and turns off as soon as the residual odors are eliminated.
  8. Wash kitchen utensils immediately
    To prevent the smell from settling in our pots or pans, we recommend washing them immediately after use. You can spray the surfaces with a little vinegar or lemon and wash them after a few minutes with regular dishwashing liquid. If you use the dishwasher, you can do the same before putting it in the