Buzz
The aroma of onions, shallots, and garlic can linger long after the meal is over, causing discomfort. The persistent odor can cling to your fingers and nails. If you notice the smell of onions lingering, you can eliminate it using the solutions listed below. Although it's not entirely clear how these solutions work to neutralize the smell of shallots, onions, and garlic, many people swear by their effectiveness. Below are over 10 substances and materials that help remove onion and garlic odors.
Steps
Rub your hands on a stainless steel surface (such as a kitchen sink) or a large spoon under cold running water for about 1 minute. Use soap if desired. The sulfur molecules responsible for the onion smell can react with the chromium in stainless steel and become neutralized.
Place one or a few tablespoons of everyday table salt in the palm of your hand. Mix the salt with cold water to form a paste, then rub the mixture onto your palms. Rinse and dry your hands. Salt not only helps eliminate odors but also acts as an exfoliant, leaving your hands softer. Be sure to moisturize your hands afterward, as salt can draw moisture from your skin.
- If you don’t have salt or it doesn’t work effectively, you can use baking soda, sugar, or coffee grounds. Sugar is a good alternative as it won’t sting if you have open cuts on your hands.
Soak your hands in tomato juice for at least 5 minutes. Afterward, wash your hands with hand soap and cold water. Tomato juice, known for neutralizing odors, can also help eliminate the smell of onions. Ensure you use fresh or unexpired tomato juice or a tomato-based mixture.
Squeeze lemon juice into a bowl. Soak your hands for 3 minutes, then rinse thoroughly. Your hands will carry a fresh lemon scent instead of the onion smell. If lemon juice isn’t available or ineffective, you can substitute it with vinegar or mouthwash.
Rub peanut butter onto your hands. Your hands might feel slightly oily (and moist) afterward, but the onion odor will disappear. Simply wash off any remaining peanut butter residue. If peanut butter isn’t available or doesn’t work, you can use toothpaste instead.
Wrap adhesive tape around your fingers and hands for 30 minutes. The onion smell may dissipate, and your skin might benefit slightly from the wrapping once the tape is removed.
Peel a large orange, cut it, and remove the outer layer of the fruit. Rub the orange flesh onto your hands for 2 minutes. Rinse your hands under running water and repeat if necessary. Your hands will then carry a pleasant orange scent. For a completely odor-free result, you can refer to additional guides on removing orange smells from your hands.
Wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water.
Rub toothpaste onto your hands. Toothpaste not only helps eliminate odors but also leaves your hands with a refreshing minty scent.
Rub used coffee grounds on your hands. Ensure the coffee grounds have cooled down before applying them to your hands.
Tips
- Use cold water when washing your hands; warm water can open the pores on your skin, trapping the onion smell inside.
- All the solutions mentioned above are equally effective at removing garlic odor as they are for onion smell.
- To prevent onion odor from sticking to your skin, wear non-latex protective gloves. Remove any powder residue from the gloves before cutting onions. After handling onions, wash the gloves, remove them, and dispose of them properly.
- Fresh potatoes can also effectively neutralize onion and garlic odors.
- It’s not just your hands that may need deodorizing; other surfaces can retain onion smells too. You can wipe surfaces with rubbing alcohol and clean them multiple times. Alcohol works best on non-porous surfaces.
- Cleaning up becomes easier, and the chances of avoiding onion smells increase if you apply vegetable oil to your hands before handling onions. After handling onions, simply wash your hands with soap and water. However, avoid applying oil to your hands while holding a knife.
- You can also purchase oval or vegetable-shaped stainless steel "soaps" and keep them near your kitchen sink.
- Try rubbing mustard on your hands after peeling onions; the odor will disappear quickly.
- You can remove or at least reduce onion odor and avoid tears by cutting onions in a large bowl or sink filled with water.
Warnings
- Avoid getting soap, tomato juice, or salt from your hands into your eyes to prevent irritation. If any of these substances come into contact with your eyes, rinse them immediately with cold water.
What You'll Need
- Salt
- Tomato juice
- Stainless steel "soap"
- Baking soda (bicarbonate of soda)
- Cloth, laundry brush, or tap water
- Peanut butter or toothpaste
