Curry is an Indian delicacy made from a variety of strong spices, such as turmeric and cumin. The strong smell of curry can sometimes be difficult to get rid of from an apartment or house because the spices used give off an aromatic vapor as it cooks. Even after cooking, the steam generated continues to penetrate porous surfaces, such as walls, carpets, pillowcases or furniture upholstery, and curtains. In order to get rid of the smell, you need to break down the curry oil molecules. With a combination of several cleaning methods, you can remove the curry smell from your home.
Step
Method 1 of 3: Masking the Curry Smell
Step 1. Wash your face and hands with lemon or lime
While showering, rub a lemon or lime wedge on the skin that is most likely exposed to the curry fumes, such as your hands, face, and arms. The acid content in limes can destroy the essential oil that causes the stubborn curry smell. After that, clean the skin again with soap and water as usual.
- Make sure to avoid any cuts or scrapes on your skin, as they can hurt or burn when you touch the lemon or lime.
- Don't wear the same clothes you use when cooking (eg a hat or sweater).
Step 2. Use an air freshener product
You can use an air diffuser, odor neutralizing spray, electric air freshener, or scented candle. In addition, take advantage of air freshener products that can be sprayed onto fabrics. Spray the product on all objects around the cooking area until they are damp, such as carpets, upholstery, curtains, or walls.
- The combination of several products can cover the smell of curry effectively.
- Read the instructions for use carefully on the packaging to ensure the product is used properly.
Step 3. Bring to a boil the flowers or leaves that give off a fresh aroma
Put 480 ml of water in a saucepan on the stove and bring to a boil. Add flavored ingredients such as pandan leaves or vanilla seeds/extract, then reduce heat to low. Bring the water and ingredients to a boil for about an hour. The aroma produced by the mixture will mask the stubborn smell of curry.
- You can buy pandan leaves from supermarkets or specialty food stores (this plant can also be found easily around the house).
- There are no specific rules regarding the amount of pandan and vanilla leaves needed. Try adding a few leaves first, then adding back as needed.
- You can also boil other flavored ingredients to get rid of the curry smell, such as 720 ml of vinegar, 240 ml of water and 6 cinnamon sticks.
Step 4. Let fresh air into the house
Open the windows for a day or two to let fresh air into the house. You may also need to replace the engine heating or air conditioning filter to stop the smelly air from circulating.
Method 2 of 3: Using Cleaning Spray Products
Step 1. Make a mixture of vinegar and water to absorb odors
Mix 240 ml of water and 2 tablespoons of vinegar in a spray bottle. Vinegar is a natural home remedy that is known to neutralize odors in the room.
This may not be a long-term solution, but you can keep a few bowls of vinegar around the house to absorb any bad odors
Step 2. Mix water and microbial active ingredients in a 1:5 ratio in a spray bottle
You can buy microbial active ingredients from the internet or hardware stores. Microbial ingredients contain active bacteria that can eat odor-causing microorganisms, as well as remove strong odors from homes.
Step 3. Spray the entire house with the formula of your choice
Whether it's vinegar or a microbial mixture, spray all objects in the house, including walls, cabinets, carpets, ceilings, kitchen grease traps, and curtains. Focus spraying on areas where grease/oil builds up because odors tend to enter or appear in these places.
- Before spraying the mixture, test for color resistance or make sure the fabric retains its color. Spray a small amount of the mixture on an invisible area of the fabric. Wait a few minutes and dab a washcloth on the area. Pay attention to changes in the fabric or color that has faded and is carried away by the washcloth.
- Do not spray the mixture around electronics and power outlets.
- Check the equipment filter user manual to see if the filter is washable. Some filters can be washed using a cleaning mixture, while others need to be washed with soap and water. However, some filters may need to be replaced. However, you can buy it from a hardware store.
Step 4. Use a microbial mixture to clean the drains in your home
Sewers are often clogged and cause an odor that permeates the entire house. Microbial ingredients can help empty drains and eliminate bad odors.
Follow the directions on the bottle label for the dosage and frequency of use of the product
Step 5. Repeat the cleaning process once a week
If the smell doesn't go away immediately, spray the mixture/product immediately and ventilate the house once a week. Thus, the microbes can stay alive and destroy the fat/oil retaining the curry odor.
If the odor still persists after 4 cycles, combine the cleaning process with another odor removal method
Method 3 of 3: Get Rid of Lasting Odors
Step 1. Sprinkle baking soda on the carpet and leave it overnight
Baking soda can absorb odors so you can sprinkle them on the carpet. Use enough to coat the surface of the carpet (only thin). After that, let the baking soda sit overnight. Remove the remaining baking soda using a vacuum cleaner the next morning.
Make sure you keep pets and little ones off the carpet after you sprinkle the baking soda
Step 2. Wash the carpet and upholstery of the furniture/pillowcases using the steam cleaning method
Several professional carpet cleaning service providers can be called home to steam clean carpets and upholstery. You can also buy or rent a steam engine to do the cleaning yourself. Cleaning mixtures specially formulated to remove odors are often sold in stores. If you want, you can also use other products such as Oxyclean, vinegar, or bleach.
- Do not clean the carpet using the steam cleaning method for at least one month if you have previously used a microbial mixture. Use the mixture for 4 rounds before steam cleaning is done.
- Do not use a vacuum cleaner or ordinary cleaning products such as baking soda or carpet shampoo because they cannot get into the carpet cushion. Usually, the source of the odor is trapped in that section.
- The cost of a professional carpet cleaning varies, depending on the size of the house and the number of rooms to be cleaned. Overall, the cost of cleaning the carpet in the room can cost around 50 US dollars (or 700 thousand rupiah). Some companies also charge per square meter.
- Steam cleaning machine rental centers set minimum rental hours, but you can usually rent the machine for the whole day. Meanwhile, you can get steam cleaning mixtures and cleaning products from hardware stores.
Step 3. Choose an ozone generator to destroy odor molecules
Ozone (O3) is a reactive particle that is chemically attracted to and reacts with molecules in the air and surfaces. The oxygen in ozone changes the molecular structure so that it can eradicate the smell of curry. You can buy ozone generators from the internet or hardware stores with prices ranging from millions to tens of millions of rupiah.
- Usually, the appliance manual recommends that you run the generator for one hour in an enclosed space, but you can run the engine for 3-4 hours.
- Ozone can eliminate odors effectively because as a gas, this molecule can enter places where air can pass, such as walls, ceilings, ventilation ducts, carpets, fibers of furniture upholstery, and others.
- You can read customer reviews on the internet that discuss various features/aspects of ozone generators, such as cost, size, noise level, durability and engine effectiveness.
- Ozone generators are usually purchased for places that require ozone, such as places that are exposed to gas pollution (eg the smell of curry). However, these devices should not be used to remove allergens as they are known to trigger more serious health problems.
Step 4. Follow the photocatalytic air purification process
Contact a company that has a machine with an Advanced Photocatalytic Oxidation (APO) process. This process uses water and air to create hydrogen peroxide vapor and reactive hydroxyl particles. Photocatalytic purification can clean the air and surfaces of objects in the home. In addition to cleaning, this process can also destroy substances that hold or cause bad odors.
- Typically, home air purification can be completed in 12 hours or less. Customers, furniture, clothes, and carpets can still be in the house.
- You can also purchase a photocatalytic air purifier with the same technology for destroying odor-causing particles. Tools and filters like this can be purchased from the internet for around 200 US dollars or 2.8 million rupiah.
Step 5. Repaint the walls of the house
Use turpentine to remove grease from kitchen wall surfaces. After that, peel the paint off the wall by scrubbing, using heat, or spraying a chemical laxative. Coat the walls with a mixture of odor-retaining and coating primer paint so that the existing odor does not spread back and odors from outside cannot enter the paint layer. Finally, select the paint you want to use and mix in an odor-fighting additive, such as vanilla extract or chemical additives.
- To remove grease, mix essential, linseed oil, and vinegar in equal proportions. Use a rag to remove grease and oil from the kitchen wall surface. You don't need to rinse the walls afterwards. Simply dry it by aerating the wall and wiping it with a dry cloth.
- Turpentine has a strong odor so make sure you work in a well-ventilated area and wear rubber gloves and a mask to protect yourself. Protect the work area with a rag or cardboard.
- When adding additives to paint, add two tablespoons of vanilla extract for every 4 liters of paint. You can also add odorless additives (available from a hardware store or paint store) that will eliminate odors, rather than just masking bad odors.
Tips
- If the smell is still coming from the microwave after you've tried other techniques, try heating 240 ml with 2 tablespoons of baking soda in the microwave for 2 minutes. Let the mixture sit in the machine for 5 minutes, then clean the interior of the microwave with a rag.
- If you smell curry in the apartment or house you've recently moved into, contact your sales manager or realtor immediately. In the area/country you live in, there may be laws protecting you from such situations, and you may be compensated for cleaning costs.
