Cabbage Doesn't Have To Stink — Just Use A Splash Of This Pantry Staple

Although deeply satisfying for its taste, texture, and nutritional value, cabbage has flaw you just can't ignore: It stinks when you cook it. And if that's not bad enough, it wafts throughout the whole kitchen, making the entire room smell bad. The solution, however, is quite easy; just enlist the help of white vinegar. Pouring a tablespoon of white vinegar into the pot while the cabbage boils is all you need to get rid of most of its unappealing stench. But don't overdo it with this pantry staple, which can also act as an all-rounder cleaning aid in your kitchen; if you add more than that, your leafy greens could end up tasting sharp.

If you're worried about the cabbage soaking in the taste of white vinegar, there are alternate methods that can also be effective. If you have extra room on your stovetop, you can boil vinegar alongside your cooking cabbage, allowing it to permeate around the room much faster and eliminate odor quicker. Another option is to create a handy solution by mixing vinegar with equal parts water, which you can easily reach for anytime you need to eliminate the cabbage smell. Just spray it around the kitchen and watch (or smell, rather) it do its magic. 

Some folks might be averse to the idea of using vinegar to eliminate smells for fear of spreading its own sharp smell. If that's the case, opt to leave a cup of vinegar on your kitchen counter overnight and let it neutralize the smell while you sleep. By the next morning, you should be able to walk into the space without any traces of the vinegar or the cabbage you cooked last night. 

This vinegar trick works because vinegar contains acetic acid. When vinegar evaporates those acidic compounds disperse through the air bonding with alkaline odors. Compared to room sprays that only mask odors with another scent, vinegar is chemically neutralizing the offensive scents, solving the root of the problem. It's worth noting that other types of vinegar, including apple cider, will work similarly, but they might contribute their own scent, so a white variation works best here.

This chemical reaction is what makes vinegar such a good deodorizer It's also possible to use vinegar as a deodorizer for other dishes with unappealing smells, including fish, garlic, and dishes with odors caused by sulfur compounds like Brussels sprouts and broccoli. Vinegar is so effective that you can rely on it to do the same for your fridge and even your laundry. It can also help eliminate the smell of smoke from frying though significant smoke smell and residue can take multiple days or vinegar treatments to remove. (Hey, even vinegar has it's limits.)

If you're not entirely convinced that vinegar can do wonders for odor elimination, give it a shot and see what happens. It's cheap, you most likely already have it on hand, and it's a low-maintenance way to keep your kitchen smelling its best.