It's amazing how something as subtle as smell can influence one's impression of a place, or spark a memory. But not all smells have a positive association. Cooking some fish, while wonderful to taste, leaves a pungent odor that quickly becomes unappealing. And don't get me started on the smell of burnt popcorn. But you don't have to live with those pervasive odors. Here are a few tips on getting rid of the funk ...
Strong food odors: Cooking food like cabbage, broccoli or fish generates powerful smells. To combat, place a small bowl of household vinegar on the counter next to the stove to absorb the cooking odors.
Burning food in the oven: Often, food will bubble over when it's baking in the oven and quickly fill your house with a burning smell ("tastes like burning!"). Just sprinkle some salt on the food that overflowed to eliminate the smell and then clean up the mess when the oven is cool.
Burnt popcorn in the microwave: Remove the offending bag, preferably from your apartment completely, and then fill a large microwave-safe bowl with four or five cloves, half a lemon (chopped), and 1.5 cups of water. Microwave on high until it boils and then let it sit until the water cools before removing the bowl. Wipe the walls of the microwave with a towel and leave the door open to air it out.
"Mystery" odors in the fridge: If it's growing fur, it's probably a good idea to throw it away. Look for anything outdated in the back of the shelves. A small package of baking soda is good for controlling most odors in the fridge. You can also keep small dishes with slices of lemon or lime on different shelves.
Musty closet: Fill a container with activated charcoal (easily found at a pet store) to remove those odors.
Smelly drain: Pour a blend of 1/2 cup of household bleach and 1/2 cup of water down the drain. After one hour, flush the drain with a lot of cold water (leave the faucet running for a few minutes).