Your relationship with garlic and other fragrant foods is complicated. You love them and probably couldn’t live without them, but you don’t want them (and their smells) to follow you around all day. When it’s time to say goodbye to the stink on your hands, and good old-fashioned soap doesn’t work, turn to one of these solutions:
Stainless Steel
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Rub your hands under water with anything made of stainless steel: a bowl, your faucet, a knife (well maybe not a knife), or invest in a fancy, stainless steel soap bar.
The chromium molecules in stainless steel attract the stinky sulfur molecules in foods like onions and garlic and bind together. This bond pulls the odor from your hands to the steel, making everyone happy. Once again, chemistry proves that there really is someone for everyone.
Coffee Grounds
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Scrubbing coffee grounds on your hands masks the smell of the odors. Plus it exfoliates the skin, leaving your hands soft and smooth.
Toothpaste
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If you don’t have coffee grounds at home (why bother making your own when there’s a Starbucks everywhere?), don’t worry. You should have toothpaste. It also removes the stench. Wash your hands with it, and voila, minty fresh.
Lemon
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The acid in lemons and other citrus fruits combat the stink in your hands. Go all out and rub a fresh lemon directly on your hands, or dilute it with some water. This method works best for that lovely ocean scent (AKA fishiness).
Baking Soda
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Baking soda is for more than just cookies, and using it to eliminate a lingering odor is no exception. Mix it with water or vinegar to form a paste, apply it your hands, and start smelling like flowers again.
If all else fails, cold water
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Hot water opens up your pores, which is great for a facial, but not for getting rid of an odor. It gives the particles more room to seep deeper and deeper into your skin, which you DO NOT want.
Finally, once the smell is gone and you can confidently walk out in public again, take a trip a trip to the supermarket. You should at least have toothpaste on hand.