How do you contain cooking smells?

Roz4
Level 10
Auckland, New Zealand

How do you contain cooking smells?

I have a studio with a kitchenette.  Among other small appliances, I supply an electric fry pan. A guest who has booked to stay in Jan spoecifically asked if it would be OK to cook "light meals". I thought it was an odd question, seeing as the facilities are all detailed in the listing. Why would I supply a kitchette they werent allowed to use? So it got me thinking that perhaps they had been told off previously for smelly cooking??

 

Does anyone have rules about cooking in a seperate self contained space? (I dont mean shared kitchens).

Did anyone start out supplying cooking facilities and then remove them?

 

I want my listing to appeal to guests staying more than 1-2 nights, but I dont want to discover I have brougt on a whole new set of issues!

 

Keen to hear about other hosts experiences in this regard.

22 Replies 22

That is my question. Discriminatory. I think I will place it in my house rules.

I would put kitchen available only for breakfast or microwave food a shared space for the  refrigerator is available.Please leave everything clean after you used the kitchen.

Honestly, do guests really need anything more than a fridge, microwave and electric kettle along with basic cups, plates, bowls and cutlery for a couple nights stay??? Especially if the listing is a studio, I'd have a no cooking rule. I lived in a studio for a while and I could barely put up with the food smells coming from my takeout boxes.

@Jessica-and-Henry0 we have a small kitchen in ABB studio apartment and it is rearly used, maybe for baking few eggs. But, guests use water cooker regularly. Sometimes a toaster.

So you are right, kitchenette is apropriate for studio apartment for 2 people, especially if it is in city center with average stay of just few days.

 

 

 

Joanne155
Level 4
San Gregorio, CA

Hello.  We airbnb our small single room cottage and yes, I have had the same issue. Sometimes it is the overcoming smell of cooked food and sometimes is just the pungent oder of - well - people.  In any case, it is my feeling that if I have given my guest an option to cook ( we have a kitchenette with a microwave and a hot plate) than I have accepted what comes with that.  Again, just my feeling, I would feel it unfair to my guests to dictate what they can and cannot cook.  I would not want someone to do that to me - that is my litmus test for my dicisions. 

In regards to people smell ( some people come with their own oders) I couldn't really dictate that either.

The first thing that I do is open the windows and doors.  Fresh air does wonders for most smells.  Secondly, vacuuming and moping every time also seems to help.  And a general wipe down with pinesol.  I also have a air disfusser to just give it a bit of pleasent smell.  OH - febreze has been a savior!

That is just what I do here.  Perhaps it helps to know what other hosts are trying. 

Cheers! 

David126
Level 10
Como, CO

I have a Microwave but no kitchen access, learn that one.

David

@David126 - me too. I've only had one 'complaint' - someone said it would have been nice to be able to cook breakfast - I guess that didn't read my lsiting! Shocking - hahah! 

Trudi17
Level 2
Hemel Hempstead, United Kingdom

I have just had a couple stay for 10 nights and had this problem, the issue was that the wife was cold (in 20+ degree heat we had last week) and had all windows and skylights shut tight (the whole time) I mentioned it is review, she replied and lied?!  Took me at least a day to get rid of the smells