Getting Onion Smell Off Hands

What is the best soap or hand sanitizer to get rid of the smell of onion off your hands?

Anthony from Miami, FL

Answers:

Getting Onion Smell off Hands

I didn't have good luck using a spoon, tap, the sink, lemon juice, parsley, salt or anything else either. Fortunately, a friend gave me a stainless steel odor remover that came from the gadget section of Bed Bath and Beyond. It's oval shaped, pretty much like a bar of soap that's been partly used. After chopping onions, I use that just as if it's a bar of soap, using only cold water, and it takes the smell away. No fooling. (04/06/2007)

By Jill

Getting Onion Smell off Hands

Wash hands with shampoo. It works every time. (04/06/2007)

By MaryEllen

Getting Onion Smell off Hands

I just tried this tip the other day. Rub a little dry oatmeal into your hands, then turn on the tap and wash hands as you normally do. Amazing. (04/07/2007)

By Hope

Getting Onion Smell off Hands

Run cool water over your hands while you rub a stainless steel knife blade. For some silly reason it works. I also rub the stainless steel sink partition with my hands while cool water rinses them. (04/12/2007)

By lindajeang

Getting Onion Smell off Hands

Lemon juice. I have a bottle of lemon juice in my fridge for cooking, etc., but I use it most for getting onion odor out of my hands. Works like a charm. (04/25/2007)

By tara

Getting Onion Smell off Hands

Vinegar also works. My husband uses vinegar to take gas smell off his hands after working on the car. If it take gas fumes off, it will just about take any odor off your hands. (07/22/2007)

By Tammie

Getting Onion Smell off Hands

Wear gloves. (08/05/2007)

By Uncle Pants

Getting Onion Smell off Hands

I just used toothpaste. My hands smell like toothpaste. Nice. (11/19/2007)

By dirty

Getting Onion Smell off Hands

Baking soda. Pour it in your hands and wet a little to make a paste and rub it into your fingertips. Rinse and the odor will be gone and your hands have never felt softer. (12/18/2007)

By tara

Getting Onion Smell off Hands

OK, tried just about all of the suggestions on this page. Here is what worked, ironically it was the one with little feedback: Toothpaste. Make sure your hands are fairly dry and put a gritty pasty toothpaste on them (not a gel). Rub it in good, between fingers and under finger nails. Rinse with warm to hot water. Repeat 2 or 3 times. If you still have a faint smell, apply a little underarm deodorant to your damp hands and rub in. That got it down to zero onions. Hands feel minty and very clean. Smells great. Someone write back and tell me what they think. (12/31/2007)

By J

Getting Onion Smell off Hands

Target sells a Chefmate brand "Scent Eraser" for, I believe, under $5. It's made of stainless steel and looks like a bar of soap. Worked great for me yesterday. (03/17/2008)

By Kelly

Getting Onion Smell off Hands

I used soap and water to get the smell off of my hand. It works, but not really. It still has a little smell to it, then I used coffee grounds and that works great. So use your coffee grounds (04/01/2008)

By Nikki

Getting Onion Smell off Hands

Rub peanut butter on your hands for 5 minutes. If that doesn't work, then rub your hands in warm oatmeal. (04/26/2008)

By Christie

Getting Onion Smell off Hands

I don't know if this works for everyone. Perhaps different theories work depending on your skin type, as I've tried almost everything suggested here and nothing works completely.

Anyway, I use Olbas oil. It penetrates the skin really well as you can use it for muscular pain too, and it stays in my skin, masking the smell of onion. Added benefit, it gives your hands a "heat lotion" type of massage. It feels like you're completely rejuvenating your hands. Haven't tried heat lotion itself, but I would imagine that could work too.

I simply apply Olbas oil (which I get from my pharmacy), about 5 drops, and rub it all in to my hands, until it is fully absorbed. I personally don't wash my hands straight away as I like the smell of Olbas oil anyway, plus it helps with my sinus problem. The smell of Olbas gradually goes as I wash my hands. (04/27/2008)

By Ryan

Getting Onion Smell off Hands

I know this is a little late, but I needed advice so maybe this will work for someone else. I couldn't find anything else that works so I was cutting onions one day and then washed my hands because I had to cut up strawberries for a dessert I was making. I washed my hands afterward and remembered the onion, so I smelled my hands. Nothing. Only a faint smell of strawberry. I am going to remember that next time. it really works. (07/01/2008)

By Lisa

Getting Onion Smell off Hands

Try butter. (07/14/2008)

By Sami

Getting Onion Smell off Hands

Prepare a mixture of minced Spam, cumin, and root beer, and soak your hands for 20 minutes. No! Seriously, I just poured some V-8 (tomato juice) over my fingers and the smell was gone. Some of these are quite funny though. (11/20/2008)

By John

Getting Onion Smell Off Hands

Dish washing liquid. Just a couple of drops onto your hands, wash as normal. (08/03/2009)

By Kaye

Getting Onion Smell Off Hands

Here's one that nobody mentioned: Purell (or other gelled alcohol hand sanitizer). I was really surprised when I used it between steps in a recipe, just to get my hands clean, and discovered they didn't smell either. I had just finished chopping onions and garlic, and wanted to get the residue off my hands quickly. I doused my hands in Purell, then wiped on a paper towel before they dried. It's worked for me ever since.

I'm guessing rubbing alcohol would work too, but haven't tried it yet. (08/03/2009)

By Patti Cruz