Garlic is a wonderful garden crop that has many health benefits. But it also has one drawback - garlic leaves a very unpleasant smell, both on the hands and in the mouth. How to deal with this?
The trick is that garlic produces cysteine sulfoxide, which gives it its unique taste and aroma. These sulfur compounds are similar to those produced by bacteria that cause bad breath. It can last up to 48 hours after consuming the vegetable. But there are several simple ways to get rid of garlic odor on your hands and mouth.
1. Apples
They contain oxidizing enzymes, which is why they change color after being cut. These same enzymes can help neutralize garlic odor. And the phenolic compounds in apples help destroy the volatile compounds in garlic that cause lingering odor. According to a 2016 British study, drinking raw apples or apple juice helps reduce garlic breath. You can rub the peel of a fresh apple on your palms to get rid of the garlic aroma.2. Milk
Milk is another natural ingredient that can easily neutralize garlic odor. Drinking milk helps reduce the unpleasant aroma not only after garlic, but also after other odorous foods. Whole milk with a high fat content is best suited for these purposes.3. Mint leaves
Mint leaves have a deodorizing effect and are often included in mouthwashes, toothpastes and chewing gum. The chlorophyll found in mint also helps mask the garlic flavor. In addition, it has mild antiseptic properties that reduce unpleasant odors caused by bacteria. After eating garlic, you just need to chew a few mint leaves to make your breath fresh again. Mint tea (a tablespoon of crushed leaves of the plant per glass of boiling water) also helps. It is advisable to infuse the drink for about 10 minutes and drink it with a spoon of honey. You can remove the smell of garlic from your hands by rubbing mint leaves in your palms.
4. Parsley
Parsley has a similar effect to mint. Active chlorophyll in its composition absorbs odors and helps restore freshness to the mouth and skin of the hands. You can eat garlic with a few sprigs of parsley, or prepare a decoction: pour a handful of coarsely chopped parsley with two glasses of water, add 2-3 cloves and boil for five minutes. This drink allows you to quickly get rid of the smell of garlic in your mouth. An unpleasant aroma from your hands can be removed by rubbing a few sprigs of parsley between your palms.
5. Stainless steel
It may seem strange, but using stainless steel is one of the best ways to combat garlic odor on your hands. The iron atoms react with the oil on the skin, which in turn neutralizes the unpleasant odor. You should rub any stainless steel item in your hands for several minutes, and then rinse your hands with water. The garlic flavor should be reduced significantly. 6. Lemon
This fruit itself is very aromatic, so it can easily overcome the strong smell of garlic. In addition, citric acid can neutralize the enzymes produced by garlic, which will help get rid of the garlic smell. Lemon juice helps lower the pH level of the skin. This improves the body's defense against unpleasant odors. It is useful to rinse your mouth with a glass of water with a tablespoon of lemon juice dissolved in it.7. Cardamom
This spice has a fairly strong aroma that will help mask the smell of garlic and add freshness to your breath. You just need to chew a few cardamom seeds after a meal richly seasoned with garlic. Milk with cardamom powder also helps.
8. Baking soda
When it comes to any bad odor, regular baking soda will be a great help in neutralizing it. It is also good for eliminating garlic odor. You need to rinse your mouth with a glass of water with baking soda and sea salt dissolved in it (a teaspoon each). This rinsing helps maintain the pH balance of the mouth and inhibits the growth of bacteria. To remove odor from your hands, you need to mix a tablespoon of baking soda with a small amount of lemon juice (you can do without it) and wipe your hands with this mixture. Leave it on the skin for a couple of minutes and then rinse with water. 9. Vegetable oil
Before processing garlic, it is useful to wipe your hands with vegetable oil. It will act like a shield and prevent unpleasant odors. In addition, vegetable oil softens the skin of the hands well. But do not coat your hands with oil too much, otherwise it will make it difficult to work with the knife.10. Toothpaste
This is perhaps the most famous and accessible remedy that eliminates various unpleasant odors in the mouth. It is enough to brush your teeth thoroughly after eating garlic. It is advisable to choose mint paste. You can also rub it on your hands to get rid of the strong garlic aroma. And then you need to wash your hands well with soap.Additional Tips
To get rid of garlic breath, you can drink green tea with cinnamon.
Coffee beans can be used to remove odor from your hands by rubbing them on your skin or simply holding them in your palms for a few minutes.
If there are no cuts on the skin, you can use table salt to remove the smell.
If you do not want to leave the garlic aroma on the skin of your hands, it is better to use household gloves when processing this vegetable.
First, let's figure out what this phenomenon is, why after a person has eaten garlic or onions, his breath smells, and for what reason the smell spreads even in the apartment. The unpleasant odor appears due to sulfur-containing compounds in the product. Once in the oral cavity, these substances cause reactions that lead to the appearance of an unwanted “aroma.”
This smell can last for a very long time: according to scientific research on the question of how long the specific smell from the mouth lasts after eating garlic, it can last up to 48 hours, unless, of course, no measures are taken to eliminate it. By the way, brushing your teeth does not always help to completely get rid of the smell of garlic: after all, it is caused not by particles of the product stuck between the teeth and in the oral cavity, but by a chemical reaction, as a result of which the smell appears along with the breath.
Raw garlic produces the most persistent “aroma”. When boiled, garlic causes much less damage to the freshness of your breath.
What can you eat to prevent bad breath?
Fortunately, there are a number of products and substances that effectively eliminate the result of the chemical reaction and, as a result, bad breath. Many of them are often referred to as “folk remedies” for combating bad breath. Let's start by listing foods that can be useful for getting rid of unpleasant odor, and tell you how to eat them so that after eating garlic you don't get the characteristic odor from your mouth.
Important: Speaking about fruits, herbs and mint, scientists note that it is fresh products that help fight the unpleasant odor after eating garlic. That is, if you feasted on chicken with garlic sauce and then decided to eat it with baked apples, you may not achieve the desired effect.
What kind of drinks and how to beat the amber after a meal?
- Milk. Of all the things that help neutralize bad breath after dishes with garlic, the very first and surest remedy is to drink a glass of milk. This also applies to fermented milk products - yogurt, fermented baked milk, yogurt and kefir. Substances contained in dairy products quickly reduce the concentration of hydrogen sulfide gases.
- Apple vinegar. A spoonful of apple cider vinegar dissolved in a glass of warm water can get rid of the unpleasant odor. You can drink a glass of water with vinegar both before and after eating a meal containing garlic. However, this method is not suitable for everyone: in case of problems with acidity, drinking water with vinegar will, of course, get rid of the smell, but in return it will ensure a visit to a gastroenterologist. Therefore, before using this method, it is better to consult a doctor.
- Green tea. A cup of green tea after dinner with garlic helps completely neutralize bad breath. The most effective remedy is green tea with mint.
- Water. Drinking one or two glasses of water with your meal will help remove any remaining garlic from your mouth. In addition, water stimulates the production of saliva, which will cleanse the mouth of the smallest particles of garlic that provoke chemical reactions and the appearance of an unpleasant odor. But it’s still better to combine this method with some other method.
How to neutralize with chemicals?
Now let’s talk about which modern chemicals can kill bad garlic breath, and how to use them for this.
Step-by-step instructions on how to effectively suppress or eliminate garlic spirit
Let's look at step by step how to prevent the unpleasant smell of garlic from your mouth before and after eating.
- Before taking garlic. Eat a green apple; it will reduce the chemical reaction that causes the smell. If you have a choice of how to cook garlic, boil it or stew it along with the dish; the most “fragrant” is raw garlic. Garlic cut into pieces causes a stronger unpleasant odor, so if you eat garlic for preventive purposes, eat the whole clove.
- During meals. Drink 1-2 glasses of water with dishes containing garlic. Eat more vegetables and fruits that contain a lot of water (tomatoes, cucumbers), salad, citrus fruits.
- After eating garlic. Thoroughly brush your teeth and tongue to remove food particles, rinse your mouth with a special balm, warm water with mint or soda paste (recipe described above). Drink a cup of green tea with mint or eat a few mint leaves; if green tea and mint are not available, coffee beans will do.
How to get rid of the smell of garlic is an age-old question. This is an unpleasant phenomenon that irritates the sense of smell and worsens mood. He's very sharp. Moreover, if the slice is whole, then it practically does not smell. The fact is that the vegetable contains the substance allicin, which begins to act only when the clove is damaged. Moreover, the smell remains persistent even if you rinse your mouth or the soaked item. Naturally, going out on the street with him means securing meaningful glances from others. If it is not eliminated, it will last up to 4 days.
There are the following methods:This vegetable is often used in hair masks, as it helps strengthen hair follicles and stimulate hair growth. But even warm water and shampoo do not always remove this unique aroma. Next, you can learn how to remove the smell of garlic from your hair.
- You should rinse your hair with water mixed with vinegar. To do this, combine 1 cup of liquid and 1/4 cup of substance.
- A mixture of water (1 liter) and lemon juice (2 tbsp) helps combat unpleasant odors.
- Mustard solution is considered no less effective. You will need a liter of water and 1 tbsp. l. raw materials.
- You can remove the garlic smell by applying essential oil to clean hair. In this case, contact with the roots is excluded. Rose, tangerine and lavender oils are great. These substances further heal the hair.
Now you should find out how to get rid of the smell of garlic on your hands. Sometimes even soap doesn't help eliminate it.
In this case, you should use these tips:
- To eliminate the aroma, you can use citrus juice. You can even rub the crust over the skin. But the acid contained in these fruits dries your hands very much, so after the procedure you need to lubricate them with a rich cream.
- To remove unpleasant odors, use laundry soap or scented shower gel. But you can buy a special product in the store to combat the problem.
- Salt and baking soda are a great way to neutralize odors. You just need to wet your hands and rub them with powder, and then rinse. A solution is also used: mix a teaspoon of salt and a similar amount of soda with a liter of water.
- To get rid of the aroma, you can use mustard water. The same composition is prepared as for hair.
- Almond or coconut oil is considered healthy and effective. But if there is neither one nor the other, then it is enough to use sunflower.
- Garlic odors are eliminated by basil and parsley. You just need to mash or rub the grass in your hands.
If after the first treatment the skin still smells, the procedure can be repeated.
Fresh breath is an indicator of human culture. However, eating garlic can strengthen the immune system, kill microbes in the mouth, and prevent the development of infectious diseases during epidemics. In addition, the vegetable gives dishes a unique taste. To avoid getting into an awkward position, you should learn how to remove the smell of garlic from your mouth.
The following methods will help:
- A special spray, mouthwash, and toothpaste will help freshen your breath. It is important to choose a specially designed product taking into account the condition of the teeth. But such methods will not help eliminate the aroma forever.
- After eating a meal that contains garlic, you can chew parsley or basil. These plants contain essential oils that kill unpleasant odors.
- Ginger is an excellent remedy. It has a spicy smell. Simply chew the fresh root. Since it produces bitterness, you should rinse your mouth after the procedure.
- Citrus lovers can eat a piece of grapefruit, lemon or orange. But the peel is considered to be the most effective. Although it tastes unpleasant, it can quickly remove the garlic smell.
- Walnuts not only remove vegetable residues from the mouth, but also kill the aroma, as they contain essential oils.
- Coffee is an effective remedy. The drink will help overcome even a very strong odor. But instant coffee will not work here. It is better to use natural grains.
- Spices with a bright aroma have a refreshing effect. For example, cloves or cinnamon will help. But this is not an acquired taste, because not everyone likes spices. In addition, they need to be chewed thoroughly.
- Milk and butter are excellent garlic odor neutralizers.
- Sour berries will help partially eliminate the unpleasant aroma.
- Chewing a bay leaf is the easiest way to get rid of the problem. Mint has the same effect.
Since you can get rid of garlic odors only by removing food debris from your mouth, dental floss will come to the rescue. But you also need to clean your tongue.
But there are other tips:
- you can use an antibacterial liquid with a refreshing scent;
- The tongue must be cleaned with a scraper (it will remove food deposits);
- Rinsing the mouth with a stream of water will help;
- you can take a sorbent, for example: activated carbon (it will reduce the degree of odor emission from the kidneys and skin), which you need to take up to 6 tablets;
- Chewing gum will help temporarily mask the garlic aroma, but it will not eliminate the problem - after half an hour it will appear again;
- You can use products to eliminate the alcohol odor;
- When working with garlic, it is better to use thick rubberized gloves that will protect your skin from contact with it.
An unpleasant odor is a consequence of chemical processes occurring in the body, so getting rid of it is not easy. But to stop eating garlic means depriving your body of many beneficial substances that strengthen the immune system. Yes, and sitting at home for 4 days until it disappears on its own won’t work.
The presented products will help not only mask, but also remove the smell of garlic from your hands, hair and mouth. You just need to choose the most suitable method. If it was not possible to remove the problem the first time, you should repeat the procedure.
Garlic adds flavor and aroma to many popular and favorite dishes. Some people cannot imagine borscht without black bread and a couple of cloves of garlic, some love lobio and satsivi, others cannot imagine life without pasta with cheese-garlic or tomato-garlic sauce. Garlic is eaten raw, boiled, fried and stewed. Some people like to eat it as a snack with almost any dish, with the exception of dessert. Those who care about health and at the same time prefer natural remedies also cannot do without garlic. Garlic is good for everyone, except for one thing - after eating it, a rather strong smell remains in the mouth for a long time, which is very difficult to get rid of.
But “difficult” does not mean “impossible.” There are ways to get rid of it, and there are quite a few of them. It will take a couple of hours to try everything. And some of them will definitely help.
Why does garlic smell so strong?
Until a clove of garlic is cut, the smell of garlic is almost undetectable. Well, unless a small incision was made during cleaning. Garlic only smells if you cut it. Either mash it or grate it. That is, to violate its integrity in any way.
Garlic contains the enzymes alliinase. When cut or crushed, these enzymes react with a substance called alliin, also found in garlic. Alicin appears from their interaction. It is the source of the sharp and stable garlic odor.
When we eat garlic, it is absorbed by our digestive system, producing hydrogen sulfide and volatile compounds that enter the bloodstream. When the blood washes the lungs, these substances end up there. And the unpleasant residual smell of garlic mixed with the “aroma” of hydrogen sulfide can be felt when exhaling. If a person has eaten several cloves of raw garlic, the volatile substances from processing can remain in his lungs for up to two to three days.
But this is all later, and at the first stage it is the breath that smells like garlic, where its sulfur compounds mixed with oral bacteria and created a persistent aura of a pungent odor.
Preventative tips for eating garlic:
- To reduce the smell of garlic, it is better to eat it before main courses. Ideally, about twenty minutes.
- Heat-treated garlic leaves behind much less odor than its raw version.
Remedies to get rid of garlic odor from your mouth:
How to get rid of the smell of garlic on your hands
The smell of garlic lasts just as long on the skin as it does inside the body or in the mouth. It is difficult to get rid of it with ordinary soap. So, if you have cooked dishes with garlic and now your hands emit a strong garlic smell, try to get rid of it in the following ways:
- Citrus fruits will help in this case too. Specifically, freshly squeezed lemon juice. You can use it to wash your hands of the smell of garlic. Another way is to rub your hands with citrus peel.
- Ground coffee. You first need to soap your hands generously or drop a few drops of liquid soap onto your hand. Add a teaspoon of ground coffee to the soap. Rub coffee all over your hands, then rinse.
- Salt. Coarse rock salt is used in the same way as coffee.
- Soda. You need to make a paste out of soda, adding water to it, and rub your hands with this paste.
- Stainless steel. It is believed that if you rub any stainless steel object (spoon, fork, table knife) in your hands, the smell of garlic will disappear.
The same advice applies to couples in love. If there is one garlic lover among you, then the other one will also have warm feelings for this specific vegetable.
Often, after cooking, the smell of garlic remains on your hands, which is quite difficult to get rid of. This “aroma” can last for several days, and in order not to cause discomfort to yourself and others, it must be removed as soon as possible.
To help you, we have found all the recipes and secrets with which you can quickly get rid of the smell of garlic on your hands - these are 19 most effective and efficient recipes.
1. Lemon juice
If you need to remove the smell from your fingers after cooking dishes with the addition of garlic, you can use lemon juice for this. Squeeze one fruit into a bowl, soak a piece of bandage in it and wipe your hands with it. In just 1–2 hours they will stop smelling unpleasantly.
2. Juice of other citrus fruits
Other citrus fruits will help quickly remove the “aroma” of garlic.
Try squeezing orange or grapefruit juice and holding your palms in it for just a minute, then rinse them with water and lubricate them with a rich cream (citric acid dries out the skin very much, so it will need moisturizing).
3. Citric acid
You can also use citric acid. Dilute it in water, the proportions needed here are 1:3, and dip your fingers into the bowl with it.
4. Parsley
If you need to quickly mask the garlic aroma, fresh parsley will help. You need to grind it, pour in lemon juice and let the mixture stand for an hour in the refrigerator. Then apply it to your hands, let it sit for 10 minutes and then wash it off.
5. Bay leaf
Parsley can be replaced with bay leaves, but this should only be done as a last resort, since it does not smell very pleasant. Just like in the previous recipe, you need to chop the bay leaf, pour it with lemon juice and let it brew in the refrigerator.
6. Coffee beans
Coffee beans do an excellent job of eliminating unpleasant odors from garlic. You need to rub your palms and fingers with them for 5-10 minutes, then do not wash your hands. Roasted coffee beans remove odor better.
7. Ground coffee
You can also use ground coffee. You need to soap your hands with soap or put a few drops of liquid soap on your hand. Add a teaspoon of ground coffee to the soap. Rub coffee all over your hands, then rinse.
8. Vinegar
Regular table vinegar helps quite effectively in combating this problem. You need to rinse your hands in it, wait until they dry, wash them with warm water and any toilet soap.
9. Lemon peel
Lemon peel is a great way to remove the annoying smell of garlic from your hands.
- Rub your hands thoroughly with soap. Pay special attention to your nails, as essential oils penetrate deeply into the nail plate.
- Then rub your hands with lemon peel.
- After 7-10 minutes, wash your hands with dishwashing detergent and apply moisturizer.
10. Basil
For a few minutes, hold several bunches of basil in your hands.
11. Mint
You can also crush mint leaves.
12. Stainless steel
Rub your palms with a spoon or stainless steel knife. You can also hold the blade of a knife between your palms and place them under running cold water for a few minutes. The smell should disappear. The recently introduced stainless steel soap has the same effect.
13. Baking soda
To remove garlic odor from your fingers, consider baking soda.
Mix it with shower gel, take 20 g of soda per 1 glass of liquid and dip your fingers into the container. You need to keep your hands in the solution for at least 5 minutes, after which simply rinse them with tap water.
14. Salt
You can use salt.
- Wet your hands with warm water and rub them with salt. This product has excellent adsorbing properties, that is, it literally draws out odorous substances and absorbs them.
- You can also use a saline solution (a tablespoon per glass of water) or a combination product prepared from one and a half glasses of warm water, a teaspoon of soda and the same amount of salt.
15. Oil
You can also rub your palms with coconut, nut or almond oil. Sunflower oil will be practically useless in this situation.
16. Essential oils
There are a lot of concentrated essential oils on the market. Take jasmine essential oil, for example. A drop of it with soap kills any odors.
17. Mustard
Try using mustard solution to rinse your hands. Dissolve a tablespoon of mustard in a glass of warm water and hold your palms in the product for a little while.
18. Laundry soap
A simple method, but quite effective. Just wash your hands well. It is recommended to use laundry soap or products with a bright and strong aroma, such as shower gel, dish soap or shampoo. But there are special hand detergents designed specifically to neutralize unpleasant odors.
19. Rubber gloves
And in conclusion, one more small piece of advice. If you know that you have to cook a dish with garlic, and guests will come to you soon, or you yourself are going somewhere, then train yourself to cook with gloves. At least those dishes that leave unpleasant odors.
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