Burnt food smell / problem

jsjs65629

Ok so I had a nightmare on Monday. 
I left a pan on the hob full of chicken casserole for about two hours came home to a kitchen full is smoke and absolutely reeking. 

I have aired out the house as best I can and a lot of the smell has gone but it is still lingering in certain areas. 

Specifically the walls near my French doors (where the smoke naturally would of travelled to to escape) really smell of the burnt acrid food. 

I've just sprayed them with vinegar solution as they are matte walls so I can't really scrub them. I've also steamed vinegar on the hob and left vinegar pots around the house. 

My problem is this is a rented property so I can't repaint I'm really hoping the vinegar works as this is really getting me down not to mention the horrible smell. 
I constantly have all the windows open and have cleaned all above the cooker extractor fan (this was actually on which has probably saved me from a lot more stress!). As well as spraying with vinegar solution. Sprayed all the carpets and sofa / cushions etc too. 

Does anyone have any experience with this and can give me any more tips? It's only been 3 days but everytime I get a whiff it is really stressing me out and I'm worried it'll never go away. 

Thanks in advance.
Big lesson learnt here!

Ebe_Scrooge

The smell will go eventually, but it'll take time.  Sounds like you're doing the right thing - leave windows open, get as much air blowing through the house as possible.  Wipe down hard surfaces where possible - lemon juice in water can be quite effective, and smells nicer than vinegar :-)

Cushions - can the covers be removed and washed?  If not, can you hang them outside while the weather is nice to have a good blow through?  Likewise with any curtains that have got smoke in them - washing them is probably going to be a right pain, but if you can take them down and hang them outside, this might help.  And if the extractor fan has filters (the hood type ones above a hob often do), then remove and clean those as well.

elsien

Would sugar soap be suitable to wash the walls down with - that's just wiping not scrubbing and it got a ridiculous amount of grease off my kitchen walls? 
Carpet and settee, if they're holding the smell, you could try sprinkling with bicarb and leaving it to do its work before hoovering it up.  Or put the cushions in  a black sack with a load of bicarb and leave them for a few days. That tends to work quite well. 

jsjs65629

Thanks guys that's good advice. I've cleaned the filters in the fan they absolutely stank even after going through the dishwasher but some vinegar has neutraliser it. 

I don't have curtains thankfully and have sprayed all the carpets plus ordered some strong odour neutraliser from Amazon along with sugar soap and magic sponges for the walls but it's only two walls (quite far from the kitchen) that seems to smell which is odd?!

Horrible smell though and everytime I smell it its a reminder of what an idiot o was! 

Do you know how long it lasts timescale wise? Quite a lot of it has gone now and sometimes I think I can smell it but that may be psychosomatic or just the vinegar that is bloody everywhere! Theres two patches on these walls that definitely smell though by the French doors.

jsjs65629

Hi again everyone, 

The smell is still here despite doing all of the above. 

I even still have grease in my hair as everytime I shower it makes the towel stink. 

This is really getting me down can anyone give me some more advice or at least some hope? 

I'm going to hire a steam carpet cleaner as well. I just can't believe it's still here after 2 weeks. Obviously more severe than I thought. 

Grenage

It will go, but two weeks obviously isn't going to be long enough.  I would expect it to take months, and before you know it will have disappeared and you won't have noticed.

jsjs65629

Thanks Grenache are you speaking from experience? 

I feel really guilty as well as this is a rented place and don't want to get in any trouble. 

Grenage

Well I know how long it took for the smell of cigarettes to disappear after moving into a house.  It was easily a couple of months before I no longer noticed the odour.

But fret not, it will go.

jsjs65629

It's in things though like it's in my bed sheets. 

I've washed them twice I think I should just throw them out tbh. Already got rid of a couple of towels. 

The odour is still even on me. 

Big lesson learnt.

twopenny

The system is to wash down every surface including windows and floors.

If you can get a citrus cleaner that helps. Not sure but could try adding a few drops of citrus oil to the vinegar

Wash all fabrics in the house. Perfect weather for it at the moment. All the time having windows open for a through breeze.

Boil water with white vinegar added then reduce to a simmer for 15/30mins. I'd put some lemon juice/oil in it as well and go the whole hog

I'm just wondering as I haven't tried it, but adding a bay leaf to boiling cauliflower takes the smell of the cauliflower away. Bunging a couple into the simmering vinegar may have an effect.

Make lemon water. Put a pot of water to boil on the stove. Cut a lemon into multiple slices. Put the lemon slices into the boiling water and let sit for 10-30 minutes to freshen up the house.

Another thing that is really good at absorbing smells is Bicarbonate of Soda. Cheap by the tub load. I'd be inclined to use it in warm water with lemon to wash everything. Put bowls of it around the house.

It will take some days to remove the smell.

If all else fails you can wash walls and ceilings.

jsjs65629

twopenny said:

The system is to wash down every surface including windows and floors.

If you can get a citrus cleaner that helps. Not sure but could try adding a few drops of citrus oil to the vinegar

Wash all fabrics in the house. Perfect weather for it at the moment. All the time having windows open for a through breeze.

Boil water with white vinegar added then reduce to a simmer for 15/30mins. I'd put some lemon juice/oil in it as well and go the whole hog

I'm just wondering as I haven't tried it, but adding a bay leaf to boiling cauliflower takes the smell of the cauliflower away. Bunging a couple into the simmering vinegar may have an effect.

Make lemon water. Put a pot of water to boil on the stove. Cut a lemon into multiple slices. Put the lemon slices into the boiling water and let sit for 10-30 minutes to freshen up the house.

Another thing that is really good at absorbing smells is Bicarbonate of Soda. Cheap by the tub load. I'd be inclined to use it in warm water with lemon to wash everything. Put bowls of it around the house.

It will take some days to remove the smell.

If all else fails you can wash walls and ceilings.

Thanks, I've tried most of that apart from the lemons / bay leaf so will do that as well. 

It's still in my own hair even after multiple washes with specialised shampoo. It's awful that the smell is still on me never mind the flat and I can't seem to get it fully out. In the shower I can feel the grease on my hands. 

Lovely...