How to improve your kitchen ventilation to get rid of moisture, odours and mould

Face on image of contemporary wooden kitchen with stainless steel cooker hood in middle
(Image credit: Getty Images)

Kitchen ventilation is a critical part of a kitchen design. Without it you will be letting large amounts of moisture float around the kitchen and beyond. And if you don’t get rid of it, you will be left with stale cooking odours, damp walls, moist countertops and endless condensation.

There is the option to use natural ventilation, such as opening a window, but who wants to be letting in cold air, especially in winter. The alternative is to make sure that you have sufficient ventilation in your kitchen. Here the experts run through the best types of kitchen ventilation to choose, and offer a selection of smart tips to help keep your kitchen moisture free.

Debra Hutt - Kitchen Expert at Wren Kitchens
Debra Hutt

Debra Hutt is one of the experienced experts within the Wren Kitchens team, able to advise on the latest trends and developments in the industry and advise customers on the journey to designing their dream kitchen space.

Headshot of Natasha King - Product Manager at Vent-Axia
Natasha King

King is the RMI Product Manager at Vent-Axia who are forerunners in energy-saving, lo-carbon products. They are committed to helping improve indoor air quality and comfort in both homes and buildings.

Joshua Warren - Air treatment expert at AO.com
Joshua Warren

Joshua is an air treatment, floorcare and gardening expert with over 3 years of experience. Known for his practical advice, Joshua thrives on sharing insights that make home care more efficient and enjoyable.

Steve Jenkins

Steve Jenkins is a freelance content creator with over two decades of experience working in digital and print and was previously the DIY content editor for Homebuilding & Renovating. 

He is a keen DIYer with over 20 years of experience in transforming and renovating the many homes he has lived in. He specialises in painting and decorating, but has a wide range of skills gleaned from working in the building trade for around 10 years and spending time at night school learning how to plaster and plumb.

He has fitted kitchens, tiled bathrooms and kitchens, laid many floors, built partition walls, plastered walls, plumbed in bathrooms, worked on loft conversions and much more. And when he's not sure how to tackle a DIY project he has a wide network of friends – including plumbers, gas engineers, tilers, carpenters, painters and decorators, electricians and builders – in the trade to call upon.