3 Kitchen Smells To Worry About, And How To Get Rid Of Them

Kitchens are inherently smelly areas. Whether in the midst of cooking, preparing to empty out the fridge, or simply getting ready to clean up after having made dinner, you are likely smelling something in your kitchen.

Given all that, it’s important to note when a smell should be cause for concern.

We spoke to experts about which odors could indicate that your food isn’t safe to eat, which ones can signal that the safety of your home is in danger, and which mean it might be time for an appliance upgrade. And even better, we got tips on how to eliminate those odors.

Rule No. 1: Not all cheese is supposed to smell.

When dealing with leftovers, or even fresh produce or meat products, one rule tops them all: If it smells bad, throw it out. When it comes to cheeses, though, a food that’s inherently smelly, the guidelines aren’t as straightforward.

According to chef Kevin Ashton, the culinary adviser at Restaurantji, there are three ways to determine whether cheese has gone bad: the presence of abnormal mold, a change in color, or a strong smell. He notes that identifying a bad smell is the best way to determine whether cheese is safe for consumption.

“If a mild cheese such as American or Jack smells strong like Limburger or blue cheese, you should throw it away,” Ashton explained. “Naturally pungent cheeses like Camembert will have a relatively strong ammonia smell when they go bad.”

Overall, Ashton says, if you are familiar with the scent of a specific cheese and the one you have smells “like a more concentrated version of what you’re used to,” then you should avoid eating it. But why, exactly? Well ...

“Spoiled cheese can harbor different types of foodborne bacteria, each of which can cause specific illnesses,” Ashton