# How to get rid of Onion smell?



## whole milk (Apr 3, 2008)

Hi everyone, 

I carmalized 4kg of onions two days ago and the smell is still in my apartment.  I opened all the doors and a nice breeze has been blowing through but still got that smell.  Fortunatly it's a good smell.  

Any suggestions on how to get rid of it?


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## kitchenelf (Apr 3, 2008)

Try an air freshener that neutralizes odor is all I can think of.  Yea, smells in a house is just a hazard of cooking.  People come in my house and say "WHAT ARE YOU COOKING?  IT SMELLS GREAT!!" - and I'm not cooking anything.


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## GrillingFool (Apr 3, 2008)

Clean the area around your stove really well.
All those little hydrocarbons of scent are still 
hanging out there. 
Dunno if it is scientifically accurate, but seems
to help in my house.

Hey, that is 8.8 pounds of onions.... what did you do 
with them?


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## whole milk (Apr 3, 2008)

GrillingFool said:


> Clean the area around your stove really well.
> Hey, that is 8.8 pounds of onions.... what did you do
> with them?



Most went in the freezer for when I need them.  Ya know, when you want to make French Onion Soup one step is already done.  Oh, and I love a tablespoon of carmalized onion with chicken or in a spinich tart.  

Guess I have to take apart the stovetop tomorrow.


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## RPMcMurphy (Apr 3, 2008)

I love that smell! 

I get rid of it, by cooking something else with a stronger smell!  Or just get a neutralizer air freshener. (or light a few of them fancy candles)

My house has smelled like Thailand the past two days. 

8lbs of onions sounds about right for a nice batch of onion soup! I use 5lbs and slow caramelize for about 3-4 hours.


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## B'sgirl (Apr 3, 2008)

RPMcMurphy said:


> I get rid of it, by cooking something else with a stronger smell!



That's what I was going to say! Cooking something in a crock pot all day is a really effective way to get a new smell in your house.


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## CharlieD (Apr 3, 2008)

Burn one of those insence (sp?) candels. It really helps. My wife hates smell of cooked onion, or fish is even worth. I always keep couple of candles on hand, it helps a lot.


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## auntdot (Apr 3, 2008)

Charlie is right on the candle idea, it does help.  The reason a candle flame is elongate is because the air gets heated up by the flame and rises ans so the ions that make the flame bright are carried with the updraft.  Flames in zero gravity are basically round.

But all that air motion also brings the room stimk into contact with the flame. Very hot flame burns up the organic molecules that cause the smell.  So it does work.  The only problem is that the air flow over a candle flame ain't that voluminous so it may take a while to clear the smell.


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## whole milk (Apr 3, 2008)

RPMcMurphy said:


> I love that smell!
> 
> I get rid of it, by cooking something else with a stronger smell!  Or just get a neutralizer air freshener. (or light a few of them fancy candles)
> 
> ...




That sounds wonderful!  How do you keep them going that long?  


@ everyone else, do you think boiling a pan full of lavendar will help?  I'm going to give it a shot this morning before buying a candle.


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## elaine l (Apr 3, 2008)

During the winter months I close off the upstairs rooms when I am cooking. The food smells seem to pool up there.  I feel like it would get on my clothes and everything else up there.  I "smell" different kids at school and know that someone cooked something at their house.


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## Michael in FtW (Apr 3, 2008)

whole milk said:


> ... do you think boiling a pan full of lavendar will help? I'm going to give it a shot this morning before buying a candle.


 
You don't need to boil it ... just simmer it ... lavendar pouporie! 

Just throw your lavendar into a pot of COLD water, bring to a boil, and reduce to a simmer ... and let it simmer for a while, add water as needed to keep the pan from going dry.



elaine l said:


> ... I "smell" different kids at school and know that someone cooked something at their house.


 
I'm sure there is some law against "smelling" kids ...


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## jabbur (Apr 3, 2008)

I've heard that if you burn a candle while cutting or cooking onions it will help with the smell and also cut down the amount of tears.  I've tried the candle during cutting and it does work to cut the tears.


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## meshoo96 (Apr 3, 2008)

jabbur said:


> I've heard that if you burn a candle while cutting or cooking onions it will help with the smell and also cut down the amount of tears.  I've tried the candle during cutting and it does work to cut the tears.



There's a stem in the center of the onion that (believe it or not) is the only thing that causes the tears. Besides cutting around it and removing it, I have heard that you can put a slice of bread in your mouth, chew gum, or cut them under water.

As far as the smell goes, the only way I have been able to get rid of food smells is to bake something with cinnamon. The 2 actually negate each other. Might be wrong, but it has worked for me.


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## GotGarlic (Apr 3, 2008)

meshoo96 said:


> There's a stem in the center of the onion that (believe it or not) is the only thing that causes the tears. Besides cutting around it and removing it, I have heard that you can put a slice of bread in your mouth, chew gum, or cut them under water.
> 
> As far as the smell goes, the only way I have been able to get rid of food smells is to bake something with cinnamon. The 2 actually negate each other. Might be wrong, but it has worked for me.



Actually, you're right  I was just reading the May/June issue of Cook's Illustrated that came today, and they published a reader's tip suggesting simmering 2 tbsp. ground cinnamon in 2 cups water to eliminate odors.


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## Bilby (Apr 4, 2008)

What about putting some bicarb in a bowl near the stove and see how that goes? Bicarb is brilliant at getting rid of odours.


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## Angie (Apr 4, 2008)

How about a boiling pot of cinnamon sticks or cloves?


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## YT2095 (Apr 4, 2008)

get an Iron pot or Wok, put some water in and half a cup of fresh ground coffee.
heat this gently to a simmer.

it will neutralise most all of the Thiols in the air and other surfaces.


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## CanadianMeg (Apr 4, 2008)

Tip for reducing cooking smells while cooking: put a bowl of vinegar out on the counter beside the stove before you start cooking. It will suck up some of the smell. (My stepmother used to do this sometimes when she smoked.) Dump it a while after you finish cooking.


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## whole milk (Apr 5, 2008)

GotGarlic said:


> Actually, you're right  I was just reading the May/June issue of Cook's Illustrated that came today, and they published a reader's tip suggesting simmering 2 tbsp. ground cinnamon in 2 cups water to eliminate odors.




You're right, it worked!  

I tried the lavendar.  Nada.  I bought two candels and an air freshner.  Still nothing.  But I boiled the cinnamon (and cloves) and -- Voila! -- I came back from the gym and it smelled like Xmas and not trash day.

  Thanks everyone


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## kitchenelf (Apr 5, 2008)

YT2095 said:


> get an Iron pot or Wok, put some water in and half a cup of fresh ground coffee.
> heat this gently to a simmer.
> 
> it will neutralise most all of the Thiols in the air and other surfaces.



And this is why they have a bowl of whole coffee beans at most perfumeries too.  You can neutralize your nose as you go.


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## Caine (Apr 7, 2008)

I wish I knew! Onions are a major crop where I live, and I have come home from work many a night with tears rolling down my face during harvests. They ship them out in open gondla trucks and quite a few end up smashed on the highway.


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