Warm spells have a way of making indoor air feel heavy, and any lingering cooking smells seem to stick around far longer than usual. If there are dishes in the sink or food left out, it can turn a slightly stuffy home into one that genuinely smells unpleasant.
That’s what I was dealing with - a bad odour in the kitchen that only got stronger after we’d had fish and chips. I tried the usual quick fixes: airing the room out, spraying air freshener and giving the surfaces a clean. Nothing really shifted it, so I tested a bargain lemon hack I’d seen online - and, surprisingly, it worked.
The best part is how cheap it is. In lots of UK supermarkets, lemons can be picked up for around 20p. I’d seen people recommending the same method across a few places online — TikTok cleaning videos, discussion threads and cleaning groups.
How the lemon hack works
The gist is simple: simmer lemon slices in water on the hob to freshen the air. I boiled the kettle, poured the hot water into a saucepan, dropped in a few lemon slices and let it bubble gently for around 15 minutes. After that, the kitchen smelled fresher and the lingering odour had gone.
It’s meant to be a quick, natural way to lift lingering odours, and in my case, it lived up to the hype. After simmering lemon slices in water for around 15 minutes, the smell in my kitchen had noticeably cleared, and the room felt much fresher.
Customising the scent
Some people take it a step further by turning the lemon simmer into a DIY “signature scent” for the house, adding herbs or a few drops of essential oil. I kept mine basic with just lemon, but there are plenty of easy add-ins if you want to customise it.
Popular herb options include rosemary, mint, eucalyptus and thyme. If you prefer something sharper and more “just-cleaned” smelling, oils like eucalyptus, tea tree, grapefruit or bergamot are often recommended.
Use lemons to clean your windows
In more useful lemon tips, the home experts at howstuffworks.com say that you can even clean your windows with lemon - pretty handy if you have bought a 5-pack.
It also claims lemons can help with grimy windows that never seem to stay clear - especially in kitchens, where grease in the air can quickly leave a film. The tip is to make a simple cleaning mix using lemon juice, vinegar and water, then use it to cut through the build-up and leave the glass looking brighter.
It urges: "Climb up on the counter and wash greasy kitchen windows with a solution of 2 tablespoons lemon juice, 1/2 cup white vinegar, and 1 quart warm water. They'll soon be sparkling."
