this post was submitted on 01 Jul 2025
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[–] [email protected] 111 points 4 days ago (7 children)

One of these stainless steel bars of "soap". It's for getting onion and garlic smell off your hands. I was skeptical when my partner bought it, but it totally works. Rub on your hands under cold water and it's like you never even looked at the garlic.

[–] [email protected] 32 points 4 days ago (2 children)

Fyi this also works with a steel faucet or sink in a pinch

[–] [email protected] 36 points 4 days ago* (last edited 4 days ago) (4 children)

Okay so maybe I've grown to used to the smell of garlic but is it a common problem that people are worried about their hands smelling like garlic/onions? Maybe it's because I wash dishes as I cook, so whatever I chopped/prepared them on I would have washed in the sink while it started to heat up in the pan, but I guess I need to sniff my fingers more after doing so.

[–] [email protected] 15 points 4 days ago (1 children)

I don't know about worried, but onions absolutely make my hands reek. To the point where it can ruin a meal I'm eating, especially if it's a hand food like a burrito or burger or something. I don't mind garlic on my hands, but onions are just awful for some reason.

I don't have one of these bars, but I'm seriously contemplating it.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 4 days ago

Ill report back tomorrow, I'm sure I'll end up making something with onions or garlic in it haha

[–] [email protected] 10 points 4 days ago (3 children)

I think it's home cook weird shit, now sell me something to get rid of fried food smell from clothes. I'll live with garlic and onions which smell amazing over fried oil smell that saturate you skin and leave you as a soggy French fry

[–] [email protected] 3 points 3 days ago* (last edited 3 days ago)

I... cook in a terry cloth ("towel") bath robe when I know I'll go out after cooking. I guess it functions similar to a smoking jacket:

To protect their clothes, many men would wear their robes-de-chambre while smoking in private. These robes acted as a barrier against ash and smoke

Probably doesn't help for not having your hair smell

[–] [email protected] 3 points 3 days ago

You basically have to add grease lightning or something similar to your wash to get that stuff out.

[–] [email protected] 6 points 4 days ago

I like when my hands smell like onions/garlic/bits. Makes for a nice lil smell-snack later!

[–] [email protected] 2 points 4 days ago

That's not gonna end well. 😅

[–] [email protected] 4 points 4 days ago* (last edited 4 days ago)

Or the outside of a stainless mixing bowl. That’s what I use since there’s usually one drying next to the sink anyway. And it’s also useful as a bowl!

[–] [email protected] 18 points 4 days ago (1 children)

So any stainless steel will do that. No need for a special disk. I use a stainless steel cocktail shaker to peal garlic. Then when I rinse it clean it also removes the smell from my hands.

Just drop the cloves into the shaker and shake hard for 30-45 seconds. Most of the garlic is now peeled and some just need a bit help. So much faster and easier.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 4 days ago (1 children)

Yep. Still useful for people without stainless fixtures, or cocktail shakers.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 3 days ago

Useful for people with those things too! We have one and I love it. I hit it with hand soap and use it like a regular bar to both clean my hands and get rid of the smell.

Since it's for that specific purpose it sits in the soap tray by the sink and is always right where I need it. No hunting for some random steel utensil.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 3 days ago (2 children)

Why would I want to remove that smell 😍.

(half joking)

[–] [email protected] 3 points 3 days ago

It's my favorite part of cutting onions

[–] [email protected] 1 points 2 days ago

Same, I love the smell of garlic. Do they make bars of soap made of garlic so I can always smell that way?

[–] [email protected] 8 points 4 days ago (2 children)

These are mostly a myth to my understanding.

There is some theory on how the chromium in stainless steel could help with breaking down and removing the smelly compounds from onions and garlic off your hands, but there aren't any studies proving this.

In my experience just properly washing your hands with water for 15-20s works just as well. I think the "soap" kinda works because it tricks people to not just rinse their hands.

[–] [email protected] 16 points 4 days ago (3 children)

It's true, I've never used one of these and was absolutely lying about their effectiveness.

[–] [email protected] 15 points 4 days ago* (last edited 4 days ago)
[–] [email protected] 6 points 4 days ago* (last edited 4 days ago)

You're saying that as if I've never used one. I have, and I don't see a difference to just washing my hands with water. But to each their own ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

[–] [email protected] 4 points 4 days ago* (last edited 3 days ago)

Regarding your jib. I like the cut.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 3 days ago

Your understanding is incorrect.

Stainless steel is an alloy composed mainly of iron, with added elements like chromium and nickel. The smooth, inert surface of stainless steel can attract and bind sulfur compounds from your skin. When you rub your hands against stainless steel, the sulfur compounds transfer from your skin to the steel, effectively reducing their concentration on your hands.

Water plays a crucial role in this process. As you rinse your hands and rub them against stainless steel, the surface acts as a catalyst for redox reactions. Sulfur compounds on your skin are chemically altered, potentially breaking them down into less odorous forms.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 4 days ago

I've had this shit in my cart for like 5 years. Lol I really should just buy it.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 4 days ago (3 children)

Does this also work for jalapenos?

[–] [email protected] 8 points 4 days ago (1 children)

No. The heat from peppers is an oil. Dry finger tips absorb the oil. So either gloves or rub a drop of neutral oil on your fingers before handling peppers.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 day ago (1 children)

What’s

neutral oil

and is it neutral regarding everything or just

peppers

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 day ago

Neutral flavor. So something like canola. Things with a strong flavor can impact the taste of the dish.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 3 days ago

As hugin said, the best way to wash oils off your hands is with other oils. Pour a little bit of whatever cooking oil you have on your hands and make sure to thoroughly spread it on your hands, like in between your fingers and under your nails, then wash with hot water and soap. The capsaicin oils will mix with the cooking oils, dilute, and be more noticeable to remove. This also works for poison ivy oils and pine sap

[–] [email protected] 1 points 4 days ago

Not that I'm aware of.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 4 days ago

"I too love to rub heavily metals into my skin"...idk if anyone has said this before lol