Does The TikTok Hack For Eliminating Smells While You Cook Fish Work?

While the delicate taste of your perfectly seared salmon may linger in your memory for days to come, there's a good chance an unpleasant fishy smell will also linger in your kitchen. There are, of course, countless theories about the best way to rid your house of that potent post-fish smell, but one remedy has TikTok all atwitter.

In a video from TikTok user @citygirlthe3rd, they explain that simmering cinnamon in a pot of water can help eliminate obstinate odors after cooking fish. With fish frying on one burner and a pot of cinnamon water boiling on another, they point out that the cinnamon smell becomes stronger than that of the fish. "My house does not smell like fish for long," they say, revealing that this is their second time trying the hack after a successful first attempt.

A DIY air freshener of sorts, simmer pots are created by adding water and a combination of spices, herbs, and fruit to a saucepan, turning the stove to low heat, and allowing the fragrant steam to fill the air. Some suggest simmer pots were originally used by pagans to purify the home and welcome in a new season. Today, however, a simmer pot infused with cinnamon, cloves, and lemon peels is touted as the best way to ward off unsavory fish odors, and a vanilla extract version can make your kitchen smell like baked goods.

After TikTok user @citygirlthe3rd revealed their hack for banishing fishy odors with a simmer pot, the comment section popped off with words of support. "My grandmother has done this my whole life," one user wrote, while another added, "I boil the cinnamon every time I cook so my house doesn't have the food smell."

@citygirlthe3rd

If you know a different or better way drop em in the comments. I also open the window, shut the room doors & light an inscent while im cooking and after. #citygirlthe3rd #cookinghacks #cookingtipsandtricks #fishfry #friedfish #soulfood #comfortfood

♬ original sound – Bigg Mama

A Reddit thread on the subject was also chock-full of comments from users confirming that a cinnamon simmer pot definitely does the trick. "Works like a charm," one Redditor wrote. "Can confirm this works," another said, before adding, "When I was pregnant most of the smells of the food my husband ate (eggs bacon etc) made me sick so he'd do this after every meal he ate."

While @citygirlthe3rd simmered the cinnamon alongside the fish, you can also start the simmer pot after you've finished cooking, allowing it to roll for a minimum of 15 minutes. If you'd rather leave the stove out of it, you can even fill a slow cooker with water, add ingredients like cinnamon sticks, cloves, and citrus peels, and allow it to simmer for hours — your whole house will soon be filled with a clean, fresh scent.