getting rid of garlic smell with knives

[phoebe]

I've tried lots of different ways of getting rid of the smell of garlic that sticks to my hands after mincing garlic--soap, salt, lemon, etc.--with little success. However, in a knife skills class, we were told that rubbing your fingers against the flat of a knife (away from the knife edge ) under running water would get rid of the garlic odor. AND IT WORKS!

But why?

[IronChefATL]

They also make stainless steel bars of "soap" that do the same trick. Definetly please always becareful when rubbing you hands on a knife.

[Anneke]

I've been using stainless steel spoons for years and it works everytime. I never did get a scientific explanation for that one. Do be careful: I have seen cooks cutting themselves badly for much less. Keep your knives for cutting and find some other tool to wash your hands!

[Athenaeus]

I have never heard of this but since you say it works... why don't you try to use a body scrub instead...
Or this sponge made of wire that we use to clean casseroles...

[Anneke]

Athenaeus, the stainless steel neutralizes the odour. It's a chemical reaction; you don't actuially need to use a scrub or an abrasive. That's the beauty of it.

...Which, if you've ever seen a cook's hands, is a blessing!

[Nicko]

I never minded the garlic smell that lingered on my hands but maybe I am weird. . I have never tried the metal bars, but I did learn a trick from a friend of mine who is a doctor. He told me that in his first year of med school to get rid of the formaldahyde (sp) smell he would rinse his hand with hot water to open the poors. After he would then soap up for a good amount of time and then rinse.

I would follow his method but I would use lemon juice and it seemed to work well.

[IronChefATL]

Wow Nicko you are pretty laid back you don't mind garlic smell or Tourne.......Two messages in a row by you ............"I don't mind"

[Nicko]

I suppose I am repetive, but that aside the garlic never bothered me, it was the fish smell on my hands after breaking down 30 salmon's in the Garde Mange department.

As for the tournee, I guess I am strange because when I was at culinary school I had no car so I would buy a bag of potatoes and practice tournee in my room on a Friday night. Of course now I probably would cut my fingers doing one.

[Athenaeus]

Originally posted by Anneke
Athenaeus, the stainless steel neutralizes the odour. It's a chemical reaction; you don't actuially need to use a scrub or an abrasive. That's the beauty of it.

...Which, if you've ever seen a cook's hands, is a blessing!

I see... but you are right it's very dangerous as well...