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Any mechanic or person who has put gasoline in their car knows how strong the smell of it can be. The smell lingers and unfortunately does not quickly go away on its own. Luckily, there are several ways to remove the smell of gasoline off your hands without the use of harsh chemicals. You can use white vinegar, vanilla extract, lemon juice, or detergent and salt to make your hands smell nice and clean.

Method 1
Method 1 of 4:

Cleaning with White Vinegar

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  1. How.com.vn English: Step 1 Pour white vinegar on your hands.
    The chemical properties in white vinegar break up the bonds in gasoline so that the residue can fade. You can use any type of white vinegar. Pour just enough on your hands for it to cover your palms and fingers.[1]
  2. How.com.vn English: Step 2 Rub with the white vinegar for 30 to 45 seconds.
    Quickly rub your palms together. Interlace your fingers and massage them with the white vinegar as well. Continue for at least 30 to 45 seconds, though you can rub for longer if you’d like.[2]
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  3. How.com.vn English: Step 3 Wash your hands under a faucet.
    Once you’ve thoroughly rubbed your hands together, you can rinse the vinegar off. Put your hands under a running faucet, and wash them with soap and water. Wash them until you no longer smell the white vinegar. Then, dry your hands with a towel.[3]
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Method 2
Method 2 of 4:

Using Vanilla Extract

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  1. How.com.vn English: Step 1 Mix vanilla extract and water.
    Pour a few drops of vanilla extract into about half a cup (118 mL) of water. You can add a few more drops of the vanilla extract if you don’t smell it in the water.[4]
  2. How.com.vn English: Step 2 Pour the mixture over your hands.
    With the mixture on your hands, begin to rub your hands together. Continue for 30 seconds to one minute. You can stop rubbing when you no longer smell gasoline on your hands.[5]
  3. How.com.vn English: Step 3 Wash your hands with soap and water.
    Once the smell has been removed, wash your hands with soap and water. You don’t have to scrub them very hard since the smell of vanilla extract is usually pleasant. Dry your hands with a towel when you’re finished washing them.[6]
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Method 3
Method 3 of 4:

Scrubbing with Lemon Juice

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  1. How.com.vn English: Step 1 Combine lemon juice and water.
    Pour equal parts lemon juice and water into of a cup. Mix the solution together with a spoon or other stirring utensil.[7]
  2. How.com.vn English: Step 2 Pour the lemon juice mixture onto your hands.
    Rub the mixture over your palms and fingers for at least one minute. Massage the lemon juice into your hands so that the odor of gasoline can be completely eliminated. Continue rubbing for at least one minute, though it may take longer.[8]
  3. How.com.vn English: Step 3 Rinse your hands off.
    You can rinse off your hands with water alone or wash with both soap and water. The smell of lemon is usually pretty nice, so you don’t have to work to eliminate the smell. Dry off your hands when you are finished washing them.[9]
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Method 4
Method 4 of 4:

Washing with Detergent and Salt

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  1. How.com.vn English: Step 1 Put 1 or 2 teaspoons of salt in a cup.
    Pour 1 to 2 teaspoons (5 to 10 g) of regular table salt into a cup. The salt will help exfoliate and further reduce the smell of gasoline. Place the cup next to the sink so it is easily accessible when your hands are covered in dish detergent.[10]
  2. How.com.vn English: Step 2 Pour dish detergent on your hands.
    Dish detergent breaks down the chemical bonds of gasoline. Pour some regular dish detergent onto your hands. You should only use just enough to thinly cover your palms and fingers.[11]
  3. How.com.vn English: Step 3 Rub your hands together with the detergent and salt.
    Pour the table salt on top of the dish detergent. Rub your hands together, thoroughly massaging your palms and fingers. Continue for about one minute.[12]
  4. How.com.vn English: Step 4 Rinse your hands with water.
    You don’t need to add more detergent when you wash your hands. Simply put your hands under running water to remove the salt and detergent. Dry your hands with a towel when you are done.[13]
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      Tips

      • There are also commercial products available that are made specifically for getting the smell of gasoline off of your hands. Gas Off is one of those products, and it is available online or at your local auto parts store.[14]
      • You can also use hand sanitizer, hydrogen peroxide, and mechanic’s soap to get the smell of gasoline off of your hands.[15]
      • Washing your hands with toothpaste instead of soap is an effective way to get the smell of gasoline off your hands.
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      Warning

      • Do not touch your eyes if you have gasoline on your hands. If you do get gasoline in your eyes, immediately flush it out with clean, lukewarm water and seek medical help.[16]

      About This Article

      How.com.vn English: How.com.vn Staff
      Co-authored by:
      How.com.vn Staff Writer
      This article was co-authored by How.com.vn Staff. Our trained team of editors and researchers validate articles for accuracy and comprehensiveness. How.com.vn's Content Management Team carefully monitors the work from our editorial staff to ensure that each article is backed by trusted research and meets our high quality standards. This article has been viewed 267,013 times.
      66 votes - 91%
      Co-authors: 8
      Updated: March 9, 2021
      Views: 267,013
      Article SummaryX

      If you need to get the smell of gasoline off of your hands, pour white vinegar over your fingers and palms. Quickly rub your hands together to massage the vinegar into your skin for at least 30-45 seconds, then wash your hands with soap and water. If that doesn’t work, repeat with a mixture of water and vanilla extract, then wash it away. Keep reading to learn about other methods, like scrubbing your hands with lemon juice.

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      Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 267,013 times.

      Reader Success Stories

      • How.com.vn English: P. F.

        P. F.

        Sep 30, 2017

        "After trying vinegar, soap and water, and alcohol-based sanitizer, I tried this. This was most successful so far,..." more
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