Myth or Fact: Does Simmering Tangerine Peels and Cinnamon Really Clean the Air?
The winter simmer pot makes a home smell wonderful. But a nice scent is not the same as clean air. Here is what it actually does.
By Elena RossiHome Editor
Every winter the same tip goes around: save your tangerine peels, drop them in a pan of water with a couple of cinnamon sticks, and let it simmer. The house fills with a warm, festive smell, and many posts promise that the steam "purifies the air", "kills germs" or "removes bad smells for good".
That doesn't mean you should stop doing it. It is a cheap, pleasant way to make a home feel cosy, and it uses peels that would otherwise go in the bin. It just helps to know what it does and what it doesn't.
What the steam actually does
When you heat citrus peel, it releases aromatic oils, mostly a compound called limonene, which gives tangerines and oranges their smell. Cinnamon bark releases aromatic compounds of its own. The steam carries them through the room, so you smell them. The water vapour also raises the humidity slightly, which can feel pleasant when the heating has dried the air.
None of that removes anything from the air. The US Environmental Protection Agency says the main causes of poor indoor air are sources that release gases or particles, such as combustion appliances, tobacco smoke, household cleaning products and excess moisture, together with ventilation that doesn't bring in enough outdoor air (US EPA). Better air comes from controlling those sources and letting fresh air in, not from adding a scent on top.
A nice smell is not the same as clean
Researchers who study air fresheners make the same point. In a review in the journal Building and Environment, Anne Steinemann notes that air fresheners are designed to give the air an aroma or to mask odours, and that they can add volatile compounds to it at the same time (Steinemann). The environmental health office at the University of Massachusetts Amherst explains that fragrance chemicals can react with ozone already present indoors and form secondary pollutants such as formaldehyde (UMass Amherst).
A simmer pot is not an aerosol spray, and nobody has shown that a pan of peels in an ordinary kitchen is harmful. The principle is the same, though: a nice smell tells you something has been added to the air, not that something has been taken away. If the kitchen still smells of last night's fish, opening a window and running the extractor fan will do more than cinnamon.
How to make one, safely
- Put the peels of 3 or 4 tangerines (or 2 oranges) and 2 cinnamon sticks in a small pan. A few cloves or a star anise work well too.
- Cover with water, bring to a gentle simmer, then turn the heat right down.
- Top up with water every 20 to 30 minutes. A pan that boils dry can scorch, smoke and become a fire risk.
- Never leave it on when you go out or go to bed. Fire services warn that unattended cooking is one of the main causes of kitchen fires.
- Keep it out of reach of children and pets, and throw the mixture away at the end of the day.
The bottom line
Enjoy your simmer pot for what it is: a seasonal smell and a bit of warmth. For genuinely fresher air, the proven steps are less glamorous. Open a window for a few minutes each day, use the extractor fan when you cook, and deal with the source of a smell rather than covering it.
Sources
- US Environmental Protection Agency, Introduction to Indoor Air Quality
- Steinemann, A., "Ten questions concerning air fresheners and indoor built environments", Building and Environment (2017)
- University of Massachusetts Amherst, Environmental Health & Safety, Air Fresheners
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