It’s always nice to have a successful day on the water, however, once the day is over, it’s now time to clean your catch. The problem that I always run into after cleaning dozens of fish is the fish smell that seems to linger on my hands. In this article, we’re going to tell you the most effective way to get the fish smell off your hands, plus 10 other ways that are pretty good too.
Over the years, fishermen have found a variety of practical ways to deal with the seemingly permanent smell that comes along with the love of fishing. The majority of these options are things that you probably have already in your home. So go ahead and read through this list of some of the easiest ways to take care of the unpleasant fish smell on your hands. You’ll be happy you did!
Here’s some other tips, in video form:
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1. Rubber Gloves
By far, the most effective way that I’ve found for getting fish smell off your hands is preventing it from getting on your hands in the first place!
This can be easily accomplished by purchasing a pair of rubber gloves (dish gloves work too). I personally don’t like the bulk of dish gloves, so I keep a box of latex surgical gloves on hand.
2. GOJO
Have you ever heard of GOJO? Chances are that if you’re not in some type of construction, you haven’t. GOJO is an industrial hand cleaner that many people swear by, including me.
While a lot of construction workers use GOJO to clean their hands from oil, grease, dirt, etc, it’s also great at removing that unpleasant fish smell from your hands.
One thing to keep in mind though…GOJO has a very strong scent, regardless if you choose the original or orange scent. So while you may be able o remove the smell of fish from your hands, the GOJO scent will likely remain for a bit.
3. Stainless Steel
This is probably one of the most well-known tricks to get rid of the garlic smell on your fingers, but does it really work to get rid of the fishy smell that’s left lingering on your hands? As a matter of fact, yes, it does work!
All you have to do is rub your hands for a few seconds on a stainless steel sink and then wash up normally. I personally keep a bar of stainless steel soap in my tackle box and in my kitchen drawer.
4. Ketchup
Have you ever heard that if you get sprayed by a skunk, the only way to get the stench off is by taking a tomato sauce bath? If not, check this article out.
Anyways, ketchup works in much the same way with that fishy smell.
All you have to do is grab the bottle of ketchup from your fridge, pour a generous amount into your hands, and rub it in. After it’s been on for a few minutes, go ahead and wash your hands with some soap and warm water.
5. Toothpaste
It seems as though toothpaste isn’t just good for cleaning teeth, it also works well at taking away fishy odors. Squeeze a generous amount of toothpaste on your hands, rub all over and then rinse it off with only water.
TIP: I’ve heard that the kind with baking soda works best
6. Lemon Juice
There’s a reason that cleaning supplies often use lemon extract in their ingredients! That’s because it works!
Who doesn’t love the smell of lemons? When trying to get rid of unwanted odors from fish, go ahead and squeeze some lemon juice right on your hands. Rub it around and then wash up with some warm soap and water.
7. Baking Soda
Due to the PH of Baking Soda, it easily removes any fish odor that lingers on your hands. All you have to do is mix some baking soda with water to make a thick paste. Apply to your hands and leave it on for a few minutes.
After several minutes you can rinse it off and the smell of fish should be a thing of the past.
8. Saltine Crackers
Maybe you thought ketchup seemed strange, but this one might be the most interesting (and surprising) way to get rid of fish smell. I mean, can saltine crackers really take care of fish smell?
As surprising as it may seem, yes they can.
All you have to do is first wash your hands in soap and water. Once your hands are completely dry, take a few crushed-up saltine crackers and rub them all over for a few minutes. Rinse off and you’re all good to go.
9. Salt
If you talk to any old fisherman, this is a trick that many swear by. Simply add a generous amount of salt to your hands while you are washing up and start scrubbing. Fishermen promise that the fishy odor will be gone in no time.
10. Coffee
Now before you run to get a pot of hot coffee, you should know that you need to be using coffee grounds that have not yet been used. The delicious smell of coffee will work to neutralize the odor on your hands. Just take some fresh grounds, rub them around and after a few minutes wash off.
11. Hand Sanitizer
This is probably one of the easier options on this list and it works just as well as the rest. Due to the rubbing alcohol and other compounds in hand sanitizer, it easily kills bacteria and all of the smells that go along with it. If you don’t enjoy the smell of hand sanitizer, then this option wouldn’t be one for you.
12. Baby Wipes
Head on over to the grocery store and pick up a pack of baby wipes, because they will help take care of many unwanted scents. The ingredients in baby wipes are specially formulated to take care of neutralizing unpleasant odors, so these work well for fishy hands also.
13. Cilantro
Isn’t cilantro used to make guacamole? Yes, but the strong smell of this herb is also very effective in taking care of fish stink. All you have to do is take some fresh cilantro and rub it all over your hands, then rinse off. You’ll be amazed at how well it does to neutralize the smell.
Conclusion
After reading through this article and a list of ideas to get rid of the fish smell on your hands, you’re probably wondering which one you should try. The reality is that they are all effective ways, and each person will find their own, personal preference. Find the one that works for you and the one that you like best.
With that being said, in my opinion, the best way to get rid of the fish smell on your hands is to wear gloves! If gloves are not your thing, then I recommend buying some hand cleaner such as GOJO. I personally like the orange-scented kind.