Meet the Other Phone. Flexible and made to last.

Meet the Other Phone.
Flexible and made to last.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Property/DIY

Join our Property forum for renovation, DIY, and house selling advice.

Can you ever get rid of cooking smells in a house?

21 replies

OpalFruitsMakeYourMouthWater · 28/09/2025 11:58

Hi,

House hunting and seen a nice house but it has a very strong smell of curry/Indian food throughout the house. I was hoping to find a house that I could just move into and not have to carry out much work (at first) but I think this house would need to be decorated and re-carpeted from top to bottom.

What’s the best way to remove lingering smells like that ??

OP posts:
didntlikeanyofthesuggestions · 28/09/2025 12:01

Hire a Rug Dr machine for the weekend and clean all the carpets. Air the house and get some diffusers or incense. I'm sure it'll clear.

Dogaredabomb · 28/09/2025 12:03

Oh I hate really intense cooking smells that seem to have embedded in the house.

YellowKettle · 28/09/2025 12:18

We moved into a house that was 7 years old and the previous owners were Asian, the smell of spices/curry was overwhelming to the point it made our eyes water and nose burn.

It went relatively quickly but it was labour intensive. What we did was use a glass scraper to scrap all the grease off the kitchen units, island, cupboard doors etc the kitchen looked clean but there was a build up of grease from all the oil, wiping it with kitchen cleaner or washing up liquid was inadequate. Then we scrubbed the kitchen including the floor and kickboards with elbow grease spray more grease did come off and it smelt of curry/spice. You need to replace the cooker hood filters they were cheap £10 ish and soak the metal clip in filters outside in hot soapy water and Elbow Grease and after an hour scrub them, then repeat several times.

Open all windows, outside doors and prop inside doors open and leave it like that all day, it was February when we moved in and yes if you stopped you needed a coat but you need as much fresh air as possible for several days. Throw away and lampshade, blinds, curtains left behind and cleaned the glass spotlights. Hired a Rug Doctor and cleaned all the carpets with the pet odour remover carpet cleaning solution, let it dry over night and then re-cleaned it, again when you empty the machine the smell of cooking/spice is overwhelming.

Cleaned all woodwork, doors and banisters with elbow grease and hot soapy water. After about 10 days the smell had completely gone, we hadn’t got used to it as whenever you leave and return the smell hits you and the nasal burn is intense, you know once you’ve managed to combat it.

So the long and short of it is, lots of fresh air even if it’s cold and you need to remove the grease as that’s what holds the smell.

CalzoneOnLegs · 28/09/2025 12:21

Dogaredabomb · 28/09/2025 12:03

Oh I hate really intense cooking smells that seem to have embedded in the house.

This reminds me of the Air BnB thread recently where the owners had asked not to cook curries or fish and most people said it was an unreasonable request but it really isn’t, those cooking smells never go away fully.
I hate cooking smells too and I wouldnt buy the house

YellowKettle · 28/09/2025 12:22

Oh we also scrubbed the radiators throughout the house and cleaned behind them with a dry feather dusted and then wet soapy feather duster. My husband also washed down all the walls and ceilings, we did repaint after a couple of months but out of choice.

stealthninjamum · 28/09/2025 12:25

my parents bought a house like this when I was a child. They removed the carpets and stripped the wallpaper, I can still remember the smell of the wallpaper after it had been removed.

Dogaredabomb · 28/09/2025 13:20

CalzoneOnLegs · 28/09/2025 12:21

This reminds me of the Air BnB thread recently where the owners had asked not to cook curries or fish and most people said it was an unreasonable request but it really isn’t, those cooking smells never go away fully.
I hate cooking smells too and I wouldnt buy the house

Edited

No, I have actually not taken a house seriously due to cooking smells. I felt that I would have to take it back to plaster or even brick, dispose of all carpets. Maybe even replace the kitchen and kitchen flooring. Too much. I think it's the mustard oil that's so pervasive.

NancyJoan · 28/09/2025 13:23

If the house is otherwise ideal, a professional deep clean and carpet cleaning should sort it

CalzoneOnLegs · 28/09/2025 13:33

@YellowKettle so much work for you, that’s literally every square inch of every surface.

YellowKettle · 28/09/2025 13:46

@CalzoneOnLegs yes it was but worth it for us, we got a big detached 4 bed all double bedrooms with 3 bathrooms for 35% under market value because of the smell. We couldn’t have afforded the same house otherwise.

CalzoneOnLegs · 28/09/2025 13:51

@YellowKettle crikey, quite the saving !

OpalFruitsMakeYourMouthWater · 28/09/2025 14:29

I’m not going to put an offer in. It lacked other things which I’ve seen in another, nicer house.

OP posts:
canyon2000 · 28/09/2025 14:36

The last tenants in my rental house were an Indian family. The house did have quite a strong cooking smell when they left but it went quite quickly when the windows were left open. They had cleaned the house very well so that helped too.

OpalFruitsMakeYourMouthWater · 28/09/2025 14:43

YellowKettle · 28/09/2025 13:46

@CalzoneOnLegs yes it was but worth it for us, we got a big detached 4 bed all double bedrooms with 3 bathrooms for 35% under market value because of the smell. We couldn’t have afforded the same house otherwise.

I did think about this as they’ve already reduced it in price. But, compared to the other house I viewed, it lacked other things like en-suite, garage and storage space.

OP posts:
Haribosweets · 28/09/2025 22:54

My neighbour house is like this, Indian family and the smell inside is unbearable. They once took a parcel in for me and it was there for approx 30 mins. The packaging and then the packaging of item (clothing) stunk of curry but luckily had not reached the clothes. I really don't think they would sell as it would need ripping back to bare. Lovely family and when they cook it smells lush but actual house is awful.

justasking111 · 28/09/2025 23:01

A lovely bungalow near us took three years to sell it was empty but the curry smell had leeched into everything. Why the family didn't have it cleaned, thrown out the carpets, curtains I have no idea.

Dogaredabomb · 29/09/2025 02:21

I wonder if the chip fat smell you used to come across in houses is as stubborn?

I was thinking about our family in the 70s, there was a chip pan permanently on the stove (as there was in every house I think). Four people smoking inside (plus smoking guests) and a cat. It must have stank.

And our laundry was on a ceiling maiden in the kitchen, we must have smelled too.

Marmaladeisntheonlypreserve · 29/09/2025 02:24

Place jars of vinegar in each room. It works,goodness how it works but it does.

zeddybrek · 29/09/2025 02:51

A Turkish friend gave me a recommendation for getting rid of strong cooking smells which seems to work. Her family are in the restaurant trade. Firstly windows open and extractor on full when cooking, all very obvious. Also light a candle. After cooking immediately wipe surfaces and then very gently heat a small amount of diluted fabric conditioner. Lowest setting. I cook a lot of onion and garlic based dishes and seems to work. Not what you asked for OP but thought I'd share as a preventative if it helps anyone.

OpalFruitsMakeYourMouthWater · 29/09/2025 06:01

Thanks all. I’ve decided not to put an offer in. I think they’ll really struggle to sell it tbh. It’s already been on the market a while and reduced. I’ve seen another property that has more to offer and smells lovely!

OP posts:
NoMoreHotHols · 29/09/2025 06:08

In our case the smell just disappeared over the summer with the windows open. It really didn’t need repainting or carpets replaced. Or we just got used to it, I cook a fair bit of Indian food myself. 😁

New posts on this thread. Refresh page