# How do you get the smell of onions off your fingers? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [June 4, 2013, 12:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-get-the-smell-of-onions-off-your-fingers/660083 "2013-06-04T00:37:21Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Lamar\_Mundane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/85f322/32.png) [@Lamar\_Mundane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lamar_Mundane)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2013, 12:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-get-the-smell-of-onions-off-your-fingers/660083/1 "2013-06-04T00:37:21Z")
I love onions - yellow, red, green bunch - you name it. The problem is, apparently I have some sort of super absorbent fingers, and whenever I handle chopped or sliced onions the odor gets into my skin and it takes a week for it to go away. No amount of scrubbing can get rid of it. I grilled some sliced onions on Saturday and this morning while shaving, when my hand got near my nose, the aroma was very strong. Does this happen to everyone? Any tips for getting rid of the odor? P.S. This doesn’t happen with other things with strong odors, like garlic. ---
**Author:** ![Unauthorized\_Cinnamon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/bc8723/32.png) [@Unauthorized\_Cinnamon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Unauthorized_Cinnamon)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2013, 12:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-get-the-smell-of-onions-off-your-fingers/660083/2 "2013-06-04T00:39:35Z")
Grab a stainless steel spoon, and rub it on your fingers under running water. They actually sell special stainless steel doohickeys for this purpose, but why waste the money when your flatware drawer holds a multi-tasker at the ready? ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2013, 12:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-get-the-smell-of-onions-off-your-fingers/660083/3 "2013-06-04T00:51:58Z")
> [@Unauthorized\_Cinnamon](#): > > Grab a stainless steel spoon, and rub it on your fingers under running water. They actually sell special stainless steel doohickeys for this purpose, but why waste the money when your flatware drawer holds a multi-tasker at the ready? Why stainless steel? ---
**Author:** ![SeaDragonTattoo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/df705f/32.png) [@SeaDragonTattoo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SeaDragonTattoo)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2013, 12:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-get-the-smell-of-onions-off-your-fingers/660083/4 "2013-06-04T00:53:16Z")
Wear latex/nitrile gloves while handling the onions. They are also useful for handling hot peppers. There are hand cleaners you can get that are made for removing strong food odors from hands. I don’t remember the names of them, but I remember seeing a couple in the hand soap section at Target. ---
**Author:** ![Sattua](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sattua/32/11906_2.png) [@Sattua](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sattua)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2013, 1:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-get-the-smell-of-onions-off-your-fingers/660083/5 "2013-06-04T01:19:33Z")
The stainless steel trick I have heard about for garlic smell and not onion smell… but yeah, worth a try. It’s some kind of chemical reaction. ---
**Author:** ![melondeca](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b5a626/32.png) [@melondeca](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/melondeca)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2013, 1:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-get-the-smell-of-onions-off-your-fingers/660083/6 "2013-06-04T01:56:02Z")
I have one of those stainless steel things (it was a gift). It looks like a bar of soap and works wonders on all types of odors. Before I had that, I’d rub my hands on the sink or a stainless steel cooking pot. ---
**Author:** ![April\_R](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3da27b/32.png) [@April\_R](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/April_R)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2013, 2:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-get-the-smell-of-onions-off-your-fingers/660083/7 "2013-06-04T02:03:23Z")
> [@Leaffan](#): > > Why stainless steel? > **[How Does Stainless Steel Remove Odors?](https://www.thoughtco.com/how-stainless-steel-removes-odors-602190)** > > Some compounds bind with stainless steel, efficiently removing odors from your fingers. You can even buy stainless steel soap to render scents inert. ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2013, 3:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-get-the-smell-of-onions-off-your-fingers/660083/8 "2013-06-04T03:07:44Z")
Handle something even stinkier (dogs, lemon Pledge, autopsy organs, over-perfumed grandmas) and you won’t notice lingering onion odors. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2013, 3:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-get-the-smell-of-onions-off-your-fingers/660083/9 "2013-06-04T03:12:56Z")
Lemon juice is pretty good at taking out and masking odors. ---
**Author:** ![aruvqan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aruvqan/32/2891_2.png) [@aruvqan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aruvqan)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2013, 3:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-get-the-smell-of-onions-off-your-fingers/660083/10 "2013-06-04T03:21:21Z")
Also lemon juice can help. But I am another person who goes for the flatware drawer [usually a spoon as I am probably going to be using it shortly] ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2013, 3:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-get-the-smell-of-onions-off-your-fingers/660083/11 "2013-06-04T03:28:17Z")
A utensil is a good idea; I just use the stainless steel faucet in my sink (and it does work for onion smell). ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2013, 7:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-get-the-smell-of-onions-off-your-fingers/660083/12 "2013-06-04T07:31:01Z")
Definitely gonna go with the lemon juice crowd here. It’s a hell of a lot easier than messing with stainless steel apparatuses. ---
**Author:** ![Sleeps\_With\_Butterflies](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bb73d2/32.png) [@Sleeps\_With\_Butterflies](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sleeps_With_Butterflies)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2013, 8:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-get-the-smell-of-onions-off-your-fingers/660083/13 "2013-06-04T08:17:14Z")
I dump a little salt in the palm of my hand and then a drop of dishsoap. I add a little water and start vigorously washing my hands. The salt exfoliates and makes your skin softer. ---
**Author:** ![madrabbitwoman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c37758/32.png) [@madrabbitwoman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madrabbitwoman)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2013, 10:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-get-the-smell-of-onions-off-your-fingers/660083/14 "2013-06-04T10:07:10Z")
Rub Vaseline into your hands before cutting. Give then a good wash with soap after (also great if you are cutting stainy things like beetroot) ---
**Author:** ![Antigen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/848f3c/32.png) [@Antigen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Antigen)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2013, 10:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-get-the-smell-of-onions-off-your-fingers/660083/15 "2013-06-04T10:30:56Z")
It also wouldn’t hurt to get a little nail brush to get up under your nails. It’s possible the onion smell is hanging out under there, even though you’re trying to wash your hands well. ---
**Author:** ![stegon66](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ee59a6/32.png) [@stegon66](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stegon66)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2013, 12:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-get-the-smell-of-onions-off-your-fingers/660083/16 "2013-06-04T12:12:46Z")
Stick 'em up your butt? 😃 ---
**Author:** ![destineal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/5f9b8f/32.png) [@destineal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/destineal)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2013, 12:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-get-the-smell-of-onions-off-your-fingers/660083/17 "2013-06-04T12:41:42Z")
Washing your hands with toothpaste works pretty well. ---
**Author:** ![Shark](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/73ab20/32.png) [@Shark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shark)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2013, 12:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-get-the-smell-of-onions-off-your-fingers/660083/18 "2013-06-04T12:57:16Z")
Wear nitrile gloves while chopping onion or garlic. That is the only thing that works for me. No amount of rubbing on stainless steel has done the slightest bit to reduce the odor for me and like you, it will last for days if I don’t wear gloves. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2013, 1:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-get-the-smell-of-onions-off-your-fingers/660083/19 "2013-06-04T13:10:25Z")
> [@Guinastasia](#): > > Definitely gonna go with the lemon juice crowd here. It’s a hell of a lot easier than messing with stainless steel apparatuses. Scrounge around for a lemon, find a knife, cut the lemon in half, squeeze the juice out, then throw the lemon away and go buy more. OR: rub your hands on the sink faucet. I’m not seeing the upside to the lemon. ---
**Author:** ![Face\_Intentionally\_Left\_Blank](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/face_intentionally_left_blank/32/288_2.png) [@Face\_Intentionally\_Left\_Blank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Face_Intentionally_Left_Blank)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2013, 8:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-get-the-smell-of-onions-off-your-fingers/660083/20 "2013-06-05T08:15:00Z")
A trout or some sardines should do it. Personally, when I worked with fish, I WISHED I smelled like onions. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-get-the-smell-of-onions-off-your-fingers/660083.md?page=2)