The Clever Way To Eliminate That Fried Fish Smell In Your Kitchen

Incorporating more fish into your diet is a great idea, and there are some pretty great ways to prepare it, from grilled to poached and baked to fried. If you're a fan of the latter, you know a crispy, golden crunch on the outside with a tender, flaky inside is pretty irresistible. But if you like frying it at home, there is one nasty side effect that you'd probably rather do without: the smell. Fried fish lingers and seems to get in all the kitchen's cracks and crevices — and don't forget the curtains!

Even if you choose the best fish for frying, you'll want to do what you can to keep that odor at bay. Luckily there is an easy hack for eliminating it so you can focus on the meal itself. The trick is simple, and all you need is a pan, some water, and a little something from your spice cabinet. A TikTok trend is quickly popularizing a genius hack that involves boiling a pot of water mixed with cinnamon while you are frying up a pan of fish. You just need to add some cinnamon to a pot of water, mix it in, and bring it to a boil, then let it simmer while you fry your fish. Essentially, you are making a simmer pot, which is an effective tool for making the whole house smell amazing, but this simple method is quick and easy and doesn't require any amount of prep or planning to create a complex combination of complementary aromatics.

The fried fishy smell that permeates the kitchen comes from the grease compounds that are released once the oil reaches a certain temperature. That stuff seems to splatter everywhere, so you'll still need to clean regularly — sorry to be the bearer of bad news — but boiling aromatic spices is surprisingly effective. You can use different spices, like nutmeg or cloves, or even citrus fruits like lemons or oranges, but cinnamon is actually a scientifically sound choice when it comes to eliminating the smells that result from frying.

Cinnamon contains something called cinnamaldehyde, a chemical compound that binds with odors in the air, neutralizing them so you kill the odors that come from frying foods like fish. It provides a completely natural solution that helps you save money on manufactured air fresheners that may only mask odors and could contain chemicals that can be harmful, leave a residue, or cause an allergic reaction. And as if that isn't reason enough to go for this all-natural solution to eliminating that fishy smell, cinnamon is one of those comforting scents that just make your home feel warm and cozy, and if you want to add in those extra spices like nutmeg cloves, you'll have made yourself the perfect holiday aroma concoction.