How to Make Your Refrigerator Smell Better with Vanilla Extract

Listen—we all have a little stink in our fridges from time to time. Whether you forgot you had those peppers in the back of the drawer (it happens) or your leftovers may be a little too left over…we get it. Baking soda is a staple fridge deodorizer, but it doesn’t exactly make the refrigerator smell good.

To freshen your refrigerator, try this simple trick that I found on the internet. All you need are cotton balls and vanilla extract. Yeah, it’s that easy!

How to Make Your Fridge Smell Better

First, grab a few cotton balls, your loyal bottle of vanilla extract and a small dish. If you don’t have vanilla extract handy, you can make some of your own. Take your cotton balls and moisten them with a few drops of vanilla, and then set in the dish and place on a shelf in your fridge.

Vanilla works wonders in getting rid of unwanted and musty smells. You can use it in your fridge, drawers, cupboards and your car. It’s even an old real estate trick to pour a few drops of vanilla extract on a light bulb before turning it on! While highly aromatic itself, it’s never too overpowering.

Here’s how to get rid of that ugly trash smell, plus other ways to freshen up your kitchen.

Does Vanilla Extract Work?

You know I had to try this myself! I’m an avid baking soda-user. However, I’m always open to trying new things, and anything that includes a little bit of vanilla is right up my alley. So, drumroll, please—the results are in.

…it worked! It worked really well, actually. I used a single cotton ball with about four or five drops of my vanilla extract and set it in the fridge for about three hours. I came back and there was not a stench to be smelled. Honestly, I’m impressed! Highly recommend.

Now, I just need to use this trick to refresh my bathroom!