How To Get Rid Of Onion Smell From Your Hands & More

I was asked recently how to get rid of onion smell from hands after cooking, and from other things around your house that seem to absorb this distinctive odor.


I figured this was a great question to pose on the sister site, Household Management 101's Facebook page, so I did and I got lots of ideas and home remedies.

Here's what I posted:



What follows are some of the best suggestions I received from readers, as well as tips for removing this smell from other items as well.

If you've got a tip as well make sure you share it with me here, and I'll add the best ones to the page.

Temperature Of Water Important

Edna says: I always use cold water and dish soap.

Susana agreed that the temperature of the water was important, saying, "Never use warm water, always cold."

Use Salt

Several readers also suggested salt, in some form, mostly for the fact that it can be a gentle exfoliator for your skin.

For example, Danette said: Wash your hands with salt. I do a mixture of salt and hand soap and scrub my finger tips. It's like a body scrub.

Similarly, Paula said, "Lather up with your favorite hand soap and then pour or have someone else do it, salt into your hands. Continue to wash. When you rinse, the smell goes with soap. Also, defoliates dead skin."

Not everyone thought the soap part was necessary though. For example, Sarah said, "Wet them and rub with salt" only.

There are actually lots of uses of salt

around your home, so click the link for even more ideas for how to use this common substance!

Use A Naturally Acidic Substance Such As Vinegar Or Lemon Juice

I had one suggestion for vinegar.

But most people that made this suggestion instead recommended using lemon juice, which I think would leave a much more pleasant scent on your hands anyway.

For example, Stacy Jo suggested lemon juice, and Rita said, "lemon and a lot of salt under cold water!!!"

Again, lemon juice is an amazing cleaner around your home. I've collected lots more uses at the link for anyone interested.

Other Foods Suggested To Rub Your Hands On:

I also got several suggestions to use other food items to remove the smell.

For example, Angie said, "I use a raw potato.....rub hands on...works every time!!!"

Bonnie said: I use coffee grounds. I just scoop some used ones out of the coffee maker and add a bit of liquid soap. Works every time.

Modest Maiden says: Wash your hands with flour and soda bicarbonate.

Use Toothpaste

Finally, Trina and a couple others suggested toothpaste (which she also said she uses after handling raw fish, to get that fishy smell off her hands as well).

Toothpaste is another substance that can be used in a lot of home remedies. Here are even more uses for toothpaste.

Most Common Suggestion: Stainless Steel

By far though the most common suggestion was to rub your hands on something stainless steel to remove this smell.

This was such a huge suggestion that I've added more information about it below.


Top photo courtesy of ewige, and second photo courtesy of SoraZG

Stainless Steel For Onion Smell On Hands: Does It Work?

Lots of people have heard that touching or rubbing your hand on something stainless steel will work to remove onion smell from hands.

After all, there are even stainless steel products, such as the item shown to the right, designed specifically to remove these smells (along with garlic and fish) from your fingers and hands.

However, some readers were skeptical. None flat out said it didn't work, just that they'd heard the trick, but hadn't tried it for themselves. I will admit it does sound a bit strange.

However, several people were adamant that it did work. Here are some of their statements:

Jamie says: Rub your hands on your stainless steel sink. Or you can buy a bar of soap made out of stainless steel at Williams Sonoma, but that's pricey. Always works for me.

Pam says: Wash your hands with plain old soap and a spoon. Don't use a knife, you might get cut. Don't know why it works but it does. Williams-Sonoma sells a silver bar that looks like a bar of soap, just use a spoon save the money.

Sarah says: Rub your hands on the metal of your kitchen sink. The metal seems to absorb the smell. It has worked for me in the past.

Irene says: I do the stainless steel tip. Works everytime. If you have a stainless steel sink just rub your fingers on a dry part of the sink, onion smell gone. Or a spoon, that works too.

April says: Use stainless steel and rub out the smell. I use the top part of the knife as I am cleaning it to make sure there isn't a smell under my nails or on my finger tips.

Anita says: I have a stainless steel bar that looks like a soap bar. I use it under cold water and whyyyyyyyla, smell is gone.

Melissa says: If you have a stainless steel faucet rub them along that. Works every time for me.

Juliette says: I know it sounds weird but hold stainless steel and run cold water over hands. Takes away onion smell every time.

Kelly says: I do baking soda and lemon juice and then rub them on my stainless sink. Not only removes the smell, it also cleans the sink!

So there you go! All these people can't be wrong. Now scroll below to get even more tips for removing this odor from other items around your home as well.

Photo courtesy of Midtown Crossing at Turner Park

How To Get Onion Smell Out Of Plastic Food Containers & Tupperware

by Jaimi

Jaimi says:

Put newspaper in the bottom of a plastic bag or a sealable container, along with your Tupperware, and put the whole thing in the freezer (or outside in the cold) over night.

It works to get onion smell out of Tupperware for me!

Taylor says:

Thanks for the tip Jaimi.

You can read even more tips for cleaning plastic items here, or share your own tips.

Anyone else have home remedies or tips for getting onion odor out of things around your home? If so, share your tips with me here and I'll add them to the page!

Related Pages You May Enjoy

Helpful Household Hints For Your Home

Onion Stain Removal Guide

Go From How To Get Rid Of Onion Smell To Home Page

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