How to Remove the Smell of Garlic from Your Breath, Hands & Home

Garlic is a flavorful, aromatic ingredient in many tasty dishes. But while it may smell good while you’re cooking, you probably don’t want the smell lingering in your home or on your body. In this article, we’ll explain how to get rid of garlic breath and remove lingering garlic odors on your hands, in your home, and on your cutting boards. Plus, we’ll teach you why garlic smells so strong in the first place.

How to Get Rid of the Smell of Garlic

To get rid of garlic breath, brush and floss your teeth, chew on mint leaves or gum, and drink plenty of water. To eliminate the smell from your home, ventilate the room and place bowls of baking soda or used coffee grounds around the room. To remove the smell from your hands, wash them with warm water and lemon juice.

Section 1 of 5:

How to Get Rid of Garlic Breath

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Drink water after your meal. When you finish eating something with garlic, drink some water to wash the garlic remnants from your tongue and between your teeth. Drinking water also stimulates the production of saliva, which helps remove some odor-producing bacteria from your mouth.^{[1]
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- Additionally, drink plenty of water throughout the day so you stay hydrated and don’t get dry mouth. Dry mouth can increase the production of sulfur, which can lead to bad breath.
- Be aware that the smell of garlic may stay in your lungs for 24-48 hours after you eat it. Because of this, it may be difficult or impossible to remove the smell entirely.
- Lemon juice can also help neutralize garlic odors. Try adding 1 tbsp (14 ml) of fresh lemon juice to a glass of water after a garlic-rich meal.
Brushing and flossing after you eat garlic can remove food residue and help eliminate odor-causing bacteria. Remember to brush your tongue and the roof of your mouth, too.^{[2]
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Use a tongue scraper. Odor-causing food particles and bacteria often collects on the back of the tongue, leading to bad breath. Starting at the back of your tongue, use a tongue scraper or brush to pull residue toward the front of your mouth. Rinse and repeat this process until there’s no visible residue on the scraper.^{[3]
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- For the best results, use a tongue scraper daily and whenever you eat garlic or onions.
- Tongue scrapers help remove dead skin cells, microbes, and tiny particles of food.
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Use a chlorine dioxide mouthwash. Some scientific evidence shows that mouthwashes containing chlorine dioxide are effective for bad breath.^{[4]
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Research source} Chlorine dioxide helps remove plaque, tongue-coating bacteria, and food particles, so remember to use mouthwash after you brush and floss your teeth.
- Strong-smelling mouthwashes, like those that contain peppermint, can also cover the smell of garlic.
- Follow the instructions on your mouthwash’s bottle to avoid overuse or irritation.
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Eat fresh fruits and vegetables. After eating a garlic-heavy meal, leave room for some fresh produce. One study has shown that the chemical makeup of raw apples, lettuce, and mint can help deodorize garlic breath.^{[5]
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- Other foods that may eliminate garlic odor include chicory, celery, potatoes, parsley, mint leaves, peppermint, basil, and mushrooms.
Chewing minty gum, like spearmint, may help mask garlic breath. While this likely won’t eliminate the odor completely, it can mask it if you’re on the go and can’t brush your teeth right away. It may also reduce acid reflux and help keep the garlic odors from lingering.^{[6]
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Try chewing on fresh herbs, like parsley or mint, to reduce garlic odor. Parsley cleanses the palate and masks unpleasant odors, and studies have shown that raw or juiced mint leaves significantly reduce garlic breath.^{[7]
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Drink lemonade or eat a lemon. Fresh lemon juice contains citric acid that is often effective at removing odors.^{[8]
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Research source} Drink lemon water, make some lemonade, or even eat a lemon on its own to get rid of garlic breath.
- Meyer lemons are typically sweet enough to be eaten like other fruit.
- Use homemade lemonade, as store-bought lemonades usually have very little lemon juice in them.
Some people claim that apple cider vinegar can reduce or get rid of garlic breath. Try diluting 1 tablespoon (14 ml) of apple cider vinegar in a glass of water, and drink it before or after your meal. Be aware that this is just a home remedy and is not scientifically proven.^{[9]
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Drink a cup of green tea. Sip on a cup of green tea immediately after your meal to cover up garlic odors. Green tea may mask garlic breath more effectively than mint or chewing gum, and some studies have shown that it can reduce plaque as effectively as antiseptic mouthwash.^{[10]
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- Some people also recommend drinking cinnamon tea to mask bad breath.
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Use food-grade essential oils. Add a few drops of food-grade essential oils to an alcohol-based mouthwash to freshen breath. Or, make your own mouthwash by diluting a drop of essential oil in 1 tsp (5 ml) of carrier oil. Swish it around in your mouth to remove food particles, bacteria, and odor.^{[11]
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- Warning: Only use food-grade essential oils, as others are not safe to consume.
- Essential oils known for eliminating bad breath include peppermint, rosemary, myrrh, and eucalyptol. Some also have antibacterial properties.
Drinking milk with or immediately after a garlic-heavy meal might help reduce the concentration of sulfur compounds in your mouth and, in turn, prevent bad breath. Full-fat milk is better at reducing odors than fat-free milk.^{[12]
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Theoretically, stainless steel reacts with the sulfur compounds in garlic to pull the smell off of you and onto the steel. While this isn’t backed by scientific evidence, many people have reported that it works. Run the spoon all over the inside of your mouth, including your tongue, the roof of your mouth, and your cheeks.

Section 2 of 5:

How to Remove Garlic Odors in Your Home

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Often, the best way to remove lingering garlic odors from your home is to ventilate the area. Open windows and doors to let in some fresh air, and turn on fans (including exhaust fans) to speed up the process.^{[13]
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Tip: Spray some air freshener to speed up the process.
Baking soda is great at absorbing and eliminating odors. Pour some in a small bowl or saucer and place it in the room that smells like garlic. Alternatively, sprinkling some baking soda on countertops, sinks, or anywhere the garlic might have been. Let it sit for a while, then wipe it up.^{[14]
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Lemons contain citric acid that can effectively remove most odors, including garlic. Slice a lemon in half and toss both slices in a pot of water. Bring the water to a boil and let it simmer. After a while, your house will smell like fresh citrus instead of garlic.^{[15]
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This is similar to the lemon water method, though it may not smell as good. White vinegar is a natural odor neutralizer, so pour some into a pot of water and allow it to simmer for a while. When the vinegar smell clears, it will take the garlic odor with it.^{[16]
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Save the grounds from your morning pot of coffee and place them in small bowls around the kitchen (or another affected room). The coffee grounds will absorb the garlic odor and release a subtle coffee aroma. For the best results, leave them out overnight.^{[17]
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This may sound counterintuitive since onions are also smelly, but they can actually absorb strong odors, like garlic. Slice an onion and place it in a bowl of water. Leave the bowl out overnight to remove the garlic smell. Be aware, however, that there’s a chance you may be left with a faint onion smell.^{[18]
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Wash garlic-tainted fabrics with baking soda. The smell of garlic can also seep into porous materials, like dish towels, clothes, and furniture. Dissolve ½ cup (125 g) of baking soda in 1 cup (240 ml) of water and add it to your washing machine before adding your affected fabrics. Use it alongside your regular laundry detergent and wash your clothes as normal.^{[19]
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- If you think that won’t be enough, add ½ cup of distilled white vinegar to your rinse cycle.

Section 3 of 5:

How to Get Garlic Smell Off Your Hands

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Squeeze fresh lemon juice on your hands. According to nutrition-focused professional chef Jerran Boyer, “The best way to eliminate the smell of garlic is to squeeze fresh lemon juice on your fingers [or] hands after using.”^{[20]
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Jerran Boyer
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Expert Interview} The citric acid in the lemon juice (or other citrus juices) neutralizes the compounds in garlic that cause the odor.
- Lemon juice can dry out your skin, so be sure to moisturize once you’ve removed the garlic smell.
- If you don’t want to use straight lemon juice, make your own citrus spray by adding the grated rind (peel) of any citrus fruit (e.g., lemon, orange, grapefruit) to hot water. Allow to cool, then strain the water into a spray bottle.
- If you want to avoid getting the smell on your hands in the first place, Boyer recommends wearing food-safe gloves.^{[21]
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Rub your hands on stainless steel or use a “steel soap.” Hold your hands under running hot water and rub them against some steel soap or something made out of stainless steel. Theoretically, the chromium oxide layer on stainless steel reacts with the sulfur compounds in garlic so that the odor clings to the metal rather than your hands.^{[22]
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Research source} However, the evidence that this method works is purely anecdotal, and there’s little scientific evidence to back it up.
- This method works for some and not others, but it can’t hurt to try it out!
Baking soda can absorb odors from almost anything, including your hands. Mix two parts baking soda with one part salt. Add enough water to form a paste, then massage the paste into your hands. Wash them once the garlic odor has been removed.^{[23]
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Section 4 of 5:

How to Remove Garlic Smell from Wooden Cutting Boards

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Wash the cutting board with hot water and dish soap. Soak the cutting board in very hot water, then squirt some undiluted dish soap on it. Scrub the entire board thoroughly with a scouring pad or brush, then rinse it with clean, hot water and allow it to dry. A thoroughly scrubbed board will not smell when it’s dry.
- Do not allow the board to soak for hours (or overnight) as it may warp.
Rinse off your cutting board, then sprinkle on some salt or baking soda. Cut a lemon in half and use the pulp side to rub the salt or baking soda into the board. The citric acid in the lemon juice is great at removing odors. Then, rinse the board and allow it to dry thoroughly.^{[24]
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Why does garlic smell?

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Garlic has a strong odor because it contains sulfur compounds. The sulfur compounds (or allicin) contained in garlic release distinctive gases when cut or mashed. When you eat garlic, these gases combine with gas-emitting bacteria, causing garlic breath. The body processes and eliminates these sulfur compounds slowly, so the smell tends to linger.^{[25]
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- The sulfur compounds are also absorbed into the bloodstream after digestion, which is why garlic smell sometimes comes out of your pores when you sweat.
- When you cut garlic, the sulfur compounds are also released into the air. They’re then absorbed into porous surfaces, like fabrics, furniture, and even your skin, and are released slowly over time. This is why it’s often hard to eliminate the smell.

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I have garlic on my hair and it really smells bad. How can I get the smell out of my hair?

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Rinse your hair with a mixture of half water and half apple cider vinegar. Then, wash it as you normally would, but consider using a mentholated shampoo if your normal option doesn't have menthol in it.

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If I eat garlic for health reasons and it's in my system, how do I get rid of that smell?

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Drink milk immediately after ingesting the garlic. It works really well. Use fresh garlic and stay away from pre-cut garlic in oil, as it has oxidized.

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What do mint leaves look like?

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Do a Google image search.

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Tips

For removing odors, you want baking soda (which is the same as bicarbonate of soda). Baking powder, however, is not the same thing.

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To help prevent garlic breath, cut each garlic clove in half and remove the stem from the middle of the bulb before adding the garlic to your food.

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