Try washing your hands first for everyday smells like garlic or onions. For chemical smells like gasoline, use an anti-grease soap. Rub the soap into your skin with a dry towel first, then wash as normal with water. Using cold water keeps your pores small and prevents the smell from sinking deeper into your skin. [2] X Research source
Moisturize afterwards if the salt soap mixture dries out your skin. The dish soap kills germs and removes smelly particles while the salt and baking soda lightly exfoliate your hands.
Try using scented hand sanitizer or alcohol wipes to mask any faint, unwanted smells that might linger. Use 2 tsp (9. 9 mL) of vodka if you don’t have rubbing alcohol or hand sanitizer on hand. Alcohol can dry out your skin, so moisturize your hands after trying this method. If it doesn’t work after a splash or two, try another strategy.
Try citrus, coffee, or vanilla scents that can cut through bad smells and leave your hands smelling fresh. Exfoliants are great for fighting odors on your skin because they rub away the top layer that contains the most scent particles.
Try mixing mouthwash and toothpaste together to create a strong, smell-fighting paste. Mouthwash might burn if you have dry skin or cuts on your hands.
Use toothpaste for food smells, like fish, on your hands. You can even use it on any utensils or equipment that smells, too. Toothpaste is slightly abrasive and lightly exfoliates the top layer of your skin, helping get rid of bad smells effectively.
If it doesn’t work the first time, wash your hands with soap and then try it again. This trick works great for kitchen smells like fish, onions, or garlic. Do your best to get in between your fingers. Depending on the shape of the stainless steel you’re using, it might be hard to get every nook and cranny. Try keeping a bar of stainless steel “soap” in your kitchen to use after preparing pungent recipes. Sometimes referred to as “faux soap,” this can come shaped like an egg, a garlic bulb, etc. and is a decorative as well as useful addition. Keeping this handy can make it easy to clean your hands of odors quickly.
Alternatively, mix equal parts lemon juice and water in a bowl and soak your hands in it for a few minutes, then rinse. Use lemon (or other citrus fruits) to cut through food smells or difficult odors including poop or gasoline. Lemon juice has lots of benefits for your skin and can be incorporated into your skincare routine to fight blackheads, acne scars, and oily skin.
Alternatively, rub whole coffee beans between your hands for a similar effect, minus the exfoliating (no need for water).
Add as many drops of vanilla as you like, but be cautious. If the vanilla scent is too strong, you won’t be able to tell if the original odor is gone. Vanilla works for household food smells as well as gasoline, bleach, and other chemical odors.
Tomato juice is great for stubborn smells, including skunk scent. Use it on your own skin or your pets’ fur after an encounter with a skunk.
If there’s any lingering vinegar smell, wash your hands with soap and water afterwards. Alternatively, add 1 US tbsp (15 mL) of vinegar to a bowl of water and soak your hands in it for 3 minutes. Rinse with clean water afterward. Use vinegar to clean and deodorize your hands, clothes, furniture, and many other household items.
Use this method for anything from kitchen smells, like garlic, to harsher odors like poop, skunks, or gasoline. In addition to absorbing odors, baking soda is a great exfoliant—you can even make an exfoliating face scrub with it!
If a slight vinegar smell lingers, wash your hands with soap or try another scented alternative like lemon juice, vanilla, or coffee grounds.
Save the hydrogen peroxide for difficult odors like gasoline or bleach and use milder alternatives like baking soda or vinegar for food smells.
