How to Get Rid of Curry Smell

You have a habit. Admit it. You love curry. Whether Indian, Pakistani or Thai you don’t care as long as the chilies, cumin and mustard flavors infuse every bite, a dint of sweat forms on your brow while eating, and the turmeric stains wash out — eventually. Sadly, not everyone shares your love. In fact, they’re sick of it. If you want to maintain your curry habit, you’ll have to stop stinking up the place. But how? How do you get rid of curry smell?

Like most smells, getting rid of the source is the most effective way of eliminating the problem. But unless you live near the air ducts of a restaurant named “Delights of India,” you are the source; and you don’t want to give it up. So, back to the original question, how do you get rid of curry smell?

Masking the Smell or the Old Cover-up

Strong kitchen smells like curry and garlic are often divisive – stink is in the nose of the sniffer. Wiping out smells by substitution is great way of having your Aloo Gobi and keeping it too. Food smells that are preferred by the curry-offended, yet are similarly strong, should guide your choice: coffee, chocolate, citrus, vanilla, lemongrass all can be powerful masking agents and spray atomizers are not hard to find for these scents.

Containing the Problem at the Source

If the smell of curry is inundating your house or apartment, chances are, you’re letting it happen. Not much smell is going to come from heating up Indian take-out in the microwave, but if you are simmering a stew in a karahi (Indian wok) for an hour, no one will be calling you the James Bond of the kitchen. Keeping the steamy curry smells covered during and after cooking, closing doors to the other rooms, and running the stove’s air uptake fans will help. In combination, these steps may not destroy the smell, but they will minimize it.

In with the Good Air, Out with the Bad

When in doubt, blast it out. Masking and containing will go a long way toward odor elimination, but in the end, a shop fan designed to clear smoke, dust or harmful fumes may be the best bet. If you don’t have one, you may consider picking up a computer server fan at an electronics store.

Short of kicking the curry habit or limiting it to dining out, it may not be possible to completely eliminate the curry smell. But masking, containment and powerful ventilation should render it inoffensive.