If you’ve ever opened a wooden drawer or cabinet and were hit with a wave of musty, stale air, you know it’s not a pleasant experience. Especially in a kitchen, you want everything to be clean and fresh without having to use harsh chemicals or artificial sprays that only mask the must rather than fix it. When it comes to gently eliminating odors naturally, white vinegar is the MVP. Kitchen drawers, in particular, can be a tricky spot to keep clean because they’re a closed-off space that doesn’t get much airflow. Not to mention, you may be storing odorous items like spices, tools, utensils, snacks, and other ingredients in them.
White vinegar is the one ingredient to combat kitchen smells. If you just moved into a new home or want to refresh your well-loved kitchen, try placing a bowl with either a balled up paper towel or a piece of bread. Cover the bread or paper towels with white vinegar and place them in the drawer that needs it. Leave the bowl to do its magic in the closed drawer for 24 hours, and then discard the vinegar-soaked bread or paper towel once done. It seems too easy and maybe even a little bit odd, but it really does work. In fact, there are lots of hacks for a cleaner kitchen with white vinegar.
Why this bread and vinegar works on musty drawers
Wood is a porous material, which means it can absorb and trap moisture and odors pretty easily. To remedy that, you need something that doesn’t just mask the odor but actually helps correct it. White vinegar is the perfect natural deodorizer thanks to its acidity. The acetic acid in white vinegar literally traps and destroys stinky scent molecules in the air and leaves the space smelling clean and refreshed. While vinegar itself does have a fairly strong scent, it helps combat that musty funk and dissipates quickly. The addition of an absorbent element like a slice of bread or paper towels helps prevent the vinegar from evaporating and may help the DIY air freshener last a bit longer, too.
Aside from white vinegar, the internet is full of tips and tricks for ridding your kitchen drawers of that signature must. One Reddit user suggested using UV rays from natural sunlight and fresh air. If you’re able to remove your kitchen drawers, letting them bask in the sun can help evaporate any residual moisture that may be creating that musty smell as well as kill the mildew and bacteria that could be responsible for the stink. You can even make your own all-purpose cleaner with white vinegar, baking soda, and water, and use it to regularly spritz or wipe down your newly refreshed kitchen drawers to keep that must at bay.
