Why You Should Put A Little Bit Of Vanilla Extract In Your Oven

If there's any room in the house that's constantly teeming with different smells, for better or worse, it's the kitchen. Many kitchen aromas are lovely — take freshly chopped herbs or a savory roast recently out of the oven as examples. But some odors, like a clogged garbage disposal or a fridge item you discover long past its expiration date, are, well, less pleasant. Lingering home odors can be embarrassing when guests stop over and frustrating in general. While there's an endless selection of commercial cleaning products designed to eradicate bad smells, one effective household remedy may already be sitting in your kitchen cupboard: vanilla extract. 

Vanilla is a calming smell, which is one reason it's a common scent for candles and air fresheners. You can harness its wonderful aroma simply by heating up a little vanilla extract in the oven. In time, a soothing, delectable scent, akin to fresh-baked cookies, will not only settle into your kitchen but waft throughout the rest of the house. And unlike many unnecessary plug-in air fresheners, pure vanilla extract is all-natural. Now, heating up vanilla extract in the oven isn't a cure for all unpleasant odors, especially if you don't address their root cause, but it can make a quick impact with no elbow grease required. It's a great way to set the stage before entertaining guests or simply make your house feel a little cozier in a short amount of time.

The setup for this aromatic hack is quick, easy, and inexpensive. Pour about two teaspoons of vanilla extract into an oven-safe dish — a ramekin works perfectly — and heat it between 250 and 300 degrees Fahrenheit until the extract is nearly evaporated. It might take anywhere from 20 minutes to a few hours to notice the smell, especially in rooms that are farther from the kitchen, and you can tinker with the amount of vanilla needed. Remember that vanilla extract — particularly high-quality extract — is alcohol-based and therefore slightly flammable. If you're warming it in a gas oven, stabilize the ramekin on a baking sheet. Consider leaving the oven door open a crack to let fumes escape, or dilute the extract with about twice as much water for extra safety (and to open up the aromatics).

Another enjoyable aspect of this kitchen trick is the amount of room for creativity and customization. You can add other ingredients to the vanilla extract to elicit different aromas. The concept is similar to a potpourri simmer pot, which is an old-fashioned way to naturally add fragrance to the home by boiling various ingredients on the stovetop.

Some sweet-smelling ingredient ideas include spices like cinnamon and cardamom, herbs like lavender and mint, or freshly squeezed citrus juice from lemons or oranges. In the same vein as a simmer pot, you may want to add a few ounces of water to your baking dish, especially when using dried spices and herbs. The exact recipe can be themed around the holidays or season. Warm and cozy concoctions, such as vanilla, cinnamon, and mulled wine, match the winter months while fresh, citrus-forward ones can be used in spring and summer.