Saturday, November 10, 2007

ONIONS HAVE LAYERS... lots of stinky, stinky layers!

Hey, do you remember me mentioning my wonderful elderly neighbor who occasionally gives me boxes of chocolates and other such goodies?  Well, he also gives me boxes of onions!  The other day he gave me one that held close to 60 potent bulbs. 

You'd think I had struck gold or something!

I love cooking with onions and put them in just about every recipe that doesn't include sugar or some kind of sweetener, so when I see a box full of onions I'm thinking stir fry, stew, soups, chili, omelets... blooming onions!

The problem with getting a box full of onions is that despite the fact that I use onions almost every day in one recipe or another, there is no way possible that I could use 60 onions before they began to spoil.  But they're like gold to me, remember?  I couldn't let them go to waste.

So I chopped them up, all at once.

Well, maybe not all of them... and certainly not all at the same time.  More like about 30 of them, one at a time.  My eyes ran out of tears after about the 4th onion.

And now two days later I still smell like the condiment tray of a weenie wagon. 

I've tried every thing... soap, water, soap and water... lemon juice, a wash cloth, a scrubbie, shampoo, shower gel, lotion, even bleach.

Now my hands are squeaky clean, silky smooth and they smell like spring flowers... sauteed in onions.

Any suggestions?  I'm willing to try just about anything short of amputation.

p.s.:  We're baby proofing the house... Little Ryott, his mom and brothers are coming to stay with us in a couple of weeks.  Yipee!

16 comments:

Anonymous said...

tomato juice...just like you would for a skunk :)

kelly

Anonymous said...

man, that's a good one.  I'll be checking back because I'm dying to know if somebody has a solution.  Good luck ;-)

Anonymous said...

Lol...only you.  I vote for the tomato juice. I am so happy that you are going to get to see and hold your grandbaby...enjoy it - it is a great feeling....love, Sandi

Anonymous said...

they say just cool water with some metal... meaning run your hands under water then grab onto the faucet...(or a stainless steel spoon)  it works for me.. but then again I have never cut up the whole produce section full of onions at one time... :)  
Just to make sure I was telling you correct... i looked it up...my tip is the same as #3 on the list from http://www.wikihow.com/Remove-Onion-Smell-From-Hands

How to Remove Onion Smell From Hands

Any of these simple solutions will work equally well to take the smell of onions off your hands.
[edit] Steps

  1. Take a tablespoon or more of everyday table salt in the palm of your hands. Wash vigorously under warm water. Rinse off and dry.
  2. Dip your hands in tomato juice for at least five minutes. Then, rinse your hands with liquid detergent in warm water.
  3. Rub your hands against stainless steel metal (a kitchen sink works well) under cold running water for about a minute; rubbing with a large metal spoon works, too.
  4. Make a small paste of baking soda (bicarbonate of soda) and water and rub over your hands, then wash off and the odor will disappear with the soda.
  5. Squeeze the juice of lemons into a bowl. Dip your hands in for 3 minutes, then rinse off. Your hands will smell like fresh lemons instead of onions!
  6. Take some mouthwash and rub it on your hands for a minute or two and then rinse with water.


[edit] Tips

   * Make sure to use cold water, when you wash your hands in warm water it opens up your pores in your hands and traps in the onion smell.
   * Make sure the tomato juice has not reached its expiration date before you put your hands into it. Canned or cold, either way will work for the tomato juice solution.
   * It is also possible to purchase vegetable shaped or oval shaped stainless steel "soaps" that can sit permanently at your kitchen sink. They d

Anonymous said...

I was reading these comments carefully because I recently had the same problem.  I only cut up five or six onions, but the resulting smell on the hands was the same.  I think I will used those disposable rubber gloves next time I cut up onions, but I may test a couple of these suggestions, too.  Good luck!
Sam

Anonymous said...

good luck with the onion fresh scent

Anonymous said...

<LOL> Only you! G. says to try one of those 'industrial' types of soaps. They use the orange one (I can't remember the name <drat>) down at the barn and he swears it gets rid of anything. Personnally? I would try the lemon juice/ tomato juice/ or metal one. Eh!

Yeah! On the Baby thing. I can't wait to see pictures of you -holding- your grandbaby!!

Anonymous said...

Try washing your hands with salt!  Don't know if it works, but when I've handled any type of hot chili's with my hands...salt takes the sting away.  Certainly can't hurt :)
xoxo ~Myra

Anonymous said...

Yay!!!!  I can't wait to hear all about their visit!  As for the onions... they say rubbing metal over your hands under water works... but, I think lemon juice is the best!

be well,
Dawn
http://journals.aol.com/princesssaurora/CarpeDiem/

Anonymous said...

Do you have those stainless steel pebble 'soaps' over there? We have them in UK, you are just supposed to use them under running water like normal soap..don't know if they work becasue I've never tried them.
Good luck with the baby proofing, having a son who is nearly 9 months is a constant battle of wills. I look forward to reading about the visit (providing your computer survives that is!!)...VampJack
http://journals.aol.co.uk/vampjack/Firsttimefamilyman/

Anonymous said...

will you please print what works??? lol
love ya,
carene

Anonymous said...

I always wash the knife under running water and run my fingers (carefully) over the knife as the water runs.  It works everytime without salt or tomato juice!
Traci

Anonymous said...

The only trick that may work is rubbing dry baking soda on your hands thoroughly and then washing it off... do it twice, and then rise the second batch off with soap. ( I got this from google, hope it works)
Tabatha
http://journals.aol.com/tkelliher617/Isittheweekendyet/

Anonymous said...

Metal seems to be the winning vote here, but have you tried vinegar?

Michele

Anonymous said...

I am late in reading and replying to this, but I always hold a metal spoon and just let the water run over my hands.  Always works for me!   (the only downside is that it could be too much like washing dishes!  lol)

walid said...
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