I despise Garlic Fingers. No, not it's not some version of a fried piece of chicken tenderloin in yummy sauce (although that would be good!) it's "that smell" on my hands after cooking. 

Yeah, you know the one.

One of the by-products of cooking can be the dreaded smelly hands & fingers. Potent ingredients like fish, onions, meat and especially garlic can linger on you for hours after cooking.

 

I set about researching various ways to help reduce food related hand odor. Some seemed reasonable, others a little far fetched and left me smelling worse than when I began!  You would have laughed to see some of the things I tried in the name of "science."

When all was said and done, I found that these 3 remedies actually WORK and eliminate hand odor, almost immediately.

1. Stainless Steel

If you've got a stainless steel sink or even a handful of silverware, simply rub your hands across the metal. It eliminates the odor almost immediately.

Why? When you touch stainless steel, the molecules in the steel bind with the sulfur molecules on your hands, thus transferring the molecules (along with the smell) to the metal and off from your hands. Presto! No more garlicky fingers.

2. Lemon or Lime Juice

Grab a wedge of either lemon or lime and squeeze it over your hands. Rub together and then wash with hot water and soap.

Not only does the acid in the fruit help remove the oils on your skin that are creating the smell, but it leaves a pleasant odor behind.  The hot water and soap help to remove the smell from your hands once and for all. 

Do be careful, however, as this acid can be irritating to skin, especially if you have a little cut or nick.  Ow!

 3. Toothpaste

Yep. Believe it or not, the same paste used to eliminate the odor and germs from your mouth can be used on your hands, too!

Simply squirt a little toothpaste on your hands and rub together vigorously. Run your hands under warm water and voila! The smell is gone.

The micro-grit in the paste acts as a super scrubber, removing the scent and the fragrance of the paste is left behind.  Of course, your residual fragrance may vary depending on what kind of toothpaste you use!

Also...

Remember that you can completely avoid garlic and onion fingers by using spices instead of fresh! Stacey Hawkins Garlic and Spring Onion, Garlic Gusto, Roasted Garlic Oil and all the others are simple to use for flavoring dishes and leave your fingers smelling fresh & odor free.

Never let the worry of smelly hands keep you from creating a great meal! Use any of these simple, easy-to-follow tips above and keep the garlic in your food, and not on your hands.

Happy Cooking!
Stacey