Completing chores around the house requires hard work, but it fulfills the feeling of getting something done and completing a project. However, certain projects require the use of materials that end up leaving a particular type of smell, whether it is on your clothing or your body. Among many of those smells is the smell of gasoline. It can be quite a difficult process to get rid of this type of smell.
When it comes to removing gas smell from hands, there are a couple of methods you can use to remove this unwanted smell that tends to stay for several days. The good news is, you don’t need to purchase special solutions or products in order to get rid of the gasoline smell. The solution to this problem is probably already in your home. You can use regular household items to remove this pesky smell once and for all.
4 Ways to Get Rid of the Gas Smell on Your Hands
Getting rid of this smell as soon as possible is highly important because gas fumes tend to leave a negative impact on a person by making them feel lightheaded whenever it is inhaled for a long period of time. So, if you are worried about how to get rid of gas smell on hands, then worry not. Listed below are the different household items you can try using to remove the smell of gasoline.
1. Lemon Juice
A pleasant way to remove the smell of gasoline off of your hands is to make a mixture consisting of lemon juice plus water. You would need to use equal parts of both lemon juice and water in order to make this solution. Pour the solution in a cup and use a stirring utensil to mix it together.
When it comes to using this mixture, pour it onto your hands, making sure that the mixture is completely covering your fingers and hands. Take a minute to properly pour the mixture all over to ensure complete coverage. As you are pouring the mixture, rub your fingers and hands together so that this mixture reaches each corner of your fingers.
Continue rubbing the mixture thoroughly for a minute or two in order to make sure that you get rid of the entire smell. Keep using the mixture until you feel like the smell of gasoline is gone from your hands.
Once you are sure the smell is gone, you can start rinsing your hands off using either just water or both soap and water. The smell of lemon juice is a pleasant one, so you might not even need to use soap in the first place.
Read: How to Remove Walnut Stains From Hands
2. Vanilla Extract
Another solution you can use is the mixture of vanilla extract and water. This is a sweet alternative to the lemon mixture mentioned above, but it does the exact same job of removing the gas smell. All you need are a couple of drops of vanilla extract mixed with about half a cup of water. If you can’t smell the vanilla after mixing it with water then go ahead and add in a few more drops.
Next, repeat the step mentioned above that involves pouring the mixture on your hands and rubbing it thoroughly for about a minute. Rub your hands together in order to ensure that the mixture reaches every area of your hands. Once you don’t smell gasoline on your hands anymore, the next step is to wash off the mixture from your hands. Use soap all over your hands coating it and then use warm water as you start to wash the vanilla mixture off.
Since the smell of vanilla extract is quite pleasant, you don’t need to thoroughly scrub your hands in order to remove the mixture. Once you are done washing your hands, use a towel to dry them off and you are good to go.
3. Salt and Detergent Mixture
For this mixture, you need two ingredients that are probably already in your home; salt and detergent. In order to prepare this mixture, take about one to two teaspoons of salt and pour it into a cup. Salt helps with exfoliating the skin, which will remove the smell of gas that is coating your hands.
Keep your cup of salt close to you so that you can easily reach it once you need it. The spot next to your sink is a good place to keep it. Next, use dish detergent on your hands. The dish detergent will help in breaking down the chemical bonds that are in the gasoline, making it easier to get rid of the smell. Make sure that the dish detergent is properly covering the hands thinly all the way from the fingers to your palm. Try not to use too much of it because it will make it slightly more difficult to get it off and it will take a lot longer as you scrub your hands to remove the detergent.
Once your hands are thoroughly coated with the dish detergent, take your cup of salt and pour a little bit of it on top of your detergent-covered hands. After you have done that and the mixture is coating your hands, start to rub it into your hands using your fingers. Thoroughly massage your palms and fingers in order to make sure that the entire area is properly covered. Do this for about one to two minutes to ensure that the gasoline smell is gone once and for all.
When you stop smelling the gasoline and are sure that the smell is completely gone, then the next step is to wash off the salt plus detergent mixture from your hands. All you need to do is run your hands and fingers under the water coming out of your bathroom faucet in order to remove the mixture off of your hands. Once you have thoroughly washed your hands and gotten rid of the mixture, use a towel to dry them off and you are done.
4. Vinegar
Another thing you can use to get rid of the gasoline smell is vinegar. Yes, it is true that vinegar already has a pungent smell of its own that is sometimes unpleasant when breathed in. However, this smell will quickly dissipate as it will take the smell of gasoline with it.
Vinegar consists of different chemical properties that help in breaking up the bonds that are present in gasoline. Hence, this allows the remaining gasoline residue on the hands to eventually fade away. You can use any type of white vinegar for this method.
Firstly, you need to pour enough vinegar in order to thoroughly coat both your fingers and your palms, so that it is able to properly combat the chemical bonds present within the gasoline. After you have finished coating your fingers and palms with vinegar, start rubbing the vinegar in by using your fingers for about 30 – 45 seconds. Make sure to massage the vinegar in properly so that it covers each section of your hands. Keep doing this for another 45 seconds. If you are unsure regarding the removal of the smell of gasoline, then continue rubbing for a bit longer.
Once you are sure that the smell of gasoline is gone after your vigorous rubbing of vinegar into your hands, the next step is to wash it off. Turn your faucet on and place your hands under it to rinse off the vinegar from your fingers and hands. Use soap to normally wash your hands as you would. Continue washing your hands until your skin stops smelling like white vinegar. Finally, take a towel and use it to thoroughly dry your hands. You have efficiently gotten rid of the gasoline smell from your hands.
Conclusion
Gasoline tends to be a huge problem at times. It is a smell that tends to linger on your hands and clothing for longer than a person would want to. Plus, the fumes present in gasoline tends to be quite dangerous and harmful as well when inhaled for a longer period of time; hence, making the smell more frustrating than normal.
By using the methods mentioned above, you can easily remove that pesky smell of gasoline in a short amount of time. The best thing is, a few of those methods actually end up leaving your hands smelling both clean and fresh, which is just an added bonus.
In addition to being harmful and dangerous when breathed in, gasoline can also negatively impact the human skin. It has the potential of damaging the skin; hence, getting rid of it as soon as possible is the best thing to do. Moreover, if the smell of gasoline ends up reaching other areas like your car or your carpet, this can be a bit hard to get rid of.
However, there are several methods you can try in order to give a new life to those things by removing the smell. But it is going to take a lot more effort as compared to just washing your hands by using the methods mentioned above.