How to Get Gas Smell Off Your Hands

Did you know that most people often enjoy the smell of gasoline? Yes, it’s true. In fact, scientists say your olfactory system likes the smell of gasoline so much that it releases dopamine, the pleasure hormone.

However, it can stick with you for a long time which can be incredibly annoying sometimes. Getting the gasoline smell off of you can be challenging.

In this article, we bring you various ways to help remove the gasoline smell from your hands.

How Long Does Gasoline Smell Last on Skin?

The gasoline smell will stay on your skin for several hours. While your body heat helps evaporate some of it, most will last for hours until adequately washed off.

What Gets Rid of the Gasoline Smell on Your Hands?

You can use multiple things to remove the gasoline smell off your hands, from white vinegar to dishwashing liquid with salt to lemon juice. You may view this video for further information. Let’s go over these in detail!

1. White Vinegar

Gasoline molecules are broken apart by the chemical properties of white vinegar. You may use whichever white vinegar you prefer.

Step 1: Pour the vinegar on your hands. Don’t let go overboard. Just pour enough so that it covers both your hands.

Step 2: Rub your hands for at least 45 seconds. Make sure to rub the palms, backs, and the spaces between the fingers.

Step 3: Rinse it off with water and then apply soap until you no longer can smell the gasoline. Finally, dry your hands with some towels.

2. Vanilla Extract

Vanilla extract is one of the few natural things that can easily remove gasoline’s smell off your hands.

Step 1: Start by pouring a few drops of the extract into half a cup of water (about 118 ml). You may add some more drops if you cannot smell the extract.

Step 2: Now, pour this mixture on your hands and rub for half a minute. Stop rubbing when you can no longer smell the gasoline.

Step 3: Once the stench of gasoline has faded away, wash the hands with water and soap. You wouldn’t have to vigorously rub your hands, as people generally like vanilla extract’s smell. Lastly, dry off your hands with a towel.

3. Lemon Juice

Not only is the lemon juice method preferred by people who like citric fragrances, but it also removes gasoline’s stench.

Step 1: Start by pouring an equal quantity of water and lemon juice into a cup. Stir the mix with a spoon to mix them thoroughly.

Step 2: Just like with the vanilla extract, now rub this mix thoroughly for at least one minute to ensure that the gasoline smell gets over-powered by the scent of the lemon juice.

Step 3: Rinse off now either with just water or with both water and soap. As lemon juice’s smell is pleasant, you won’t have to rub hard enough to make gasoline’s smell dissipate.

4. Dishwash Liquid and Salt

The salt will help exfoliate and reduce gasoline’s smell. As for the dishwashing liquid, it’ll break the bonds of gasoline, washing it off. 

Step 1: Pour about two teaspoons of salt into a cup. Keep this cup close to the kitchen sink for ease once you’ve applied the dishwashing liquid onto your hands.

Step 2: Pour a small quantity of the dishwashing liquid onto your hands so the liquid covers them thinly.

Step 3: Pour salt over the dishwashing liquid and massage your hands thoroughly. Do so for one at least a minute. 

Step 4: Now, rinse off this mix with running water and dry your hands with a towel.

5. Toothpaste 

You’ll love this if you’re a fan of the minty smell. Besides removing gasoline’s smell of gasoline, it is also great for your skin.

Step 1: Get whichever toothpaste you like except gel ones, as they won’t work. 

Step 2: In a small bowl, squeeze out some paste that can easily cover both of your hands without wasting anything. Add a few drops of peppermint essential oil to the bowl as well.

Step 3: Take a small brush and apply the paste all over your hands, including the spaces between your fingers. Let it rest for 2 minutes.

Step 4: After those two minutes, turn the faucet on and wash it off thoroughly. If you still smell gasoline, you may re-apply and re-wash.

6. Baking Soda

Baking soda is yet another chemical that, apart from having numerous benefits, is also capable of removing the smell of gasoline. 

Step 1: Take a clean and empty bowl, put it on a flat surface, and add one and a half cups of baking soda.

Step 2: Once you’ve added the soda, gently pour a cup of warm water into the mix while stirring the soda. But don’t add too much water as that might make the consistency runny.

Step 3: Now grab a small brush and apply the mix for 2-3 minutes, or just dip your hands right into the mixture and let them stay for about 2-3 minutes. But make sure that your palms, spaces in-between the fingers, and the back are covered completely.

Step 4: Wash it all off with cold water and soap until the smell of gasoline is gone. 

7. Rubbing Alcohol

Rubbing alcohol can help remove dirt and grease from your skin and neutralize strong smells, including gasoline. The way to use rubbing alcohol is straightforward. From the bottle, pour out as many drops as you want and then rub your hands until the alcohol has completely dissipated. 

8. Hydrogen Peroxide 

Soaking your hands in hydrogen peroxide is a quick and efficient fix to eliminating gasoline’s smell. But beware, it may be harmful to your skin if used for an extended period. 

Step 1: Take one part of hydrogen peroxide and three parts of water in a large bowl.

Step 2: Now, soak your hands into this mix for a few minutes, and you’re done.

9. Mechanic’s Soap

If you find yourself under the hood now and then, buying some mechanic’s soap is a good idea. It removes grease and odor very efficiently. Some soaps like The Original Tough Nut Hand Cleaner won’t cause your hands to crack or become dry. 

Is it Safe to Wash Clothes with Gasoline on Them?

Gasoline will evaporate when it comes into contact with air but will leave behind a thin film of liquid that will stay on any surface. Therefore, it is best to leave your gasoline-stained clothes in the air for 24 hours. 

Make sure you’ve added some degreaser into your hose bottle to eliminate the smell of gasoline quickly. Now you may wash them with a detergent. 

You may take them outside and hose them off if they are over-saturated with gasoline. Directly putting them in the washing machine might result in a fire (with the fumes from the machine reacting with the soaked gasoline).

How Do You Wash Gasoline Out of Clothes?

Soak those saturated clothes in a tub outside and add some degreaser to it. Oxy-clear and Dawn are suitable degreasers that will work great.

Put the gasoline-saturated clothes in the washing machine after you’ve washed them once with a degreaser. Wash them with no other clothes in the machine. 

When drying them, leave them in the air and let them dry naturally. This is because the gasoline molecules may react with the fumes being emitted from the drying machine, which might cause a fire.

Does Water Wash Away Gasoline?

Plain water by itself will not wash away gasoline. You need a degreaser if you’re washing clothes stained with gasoline. It’s imperative to use a degreaser since prolonged exposure to gas may result in gasoline poisoning. 

Will Baking Soda Absorb Gasoline?

No, baking soda will not absorb gasoline. However, gasoline’s molecular bonds will break apart, causing it to dissipate.

Can Dried Gasoline Catch Fire?

Yes and no. This is a tricky question. The good news is that pure gasoline quickly dries by evaporation. However, most gasoline around us isn’t pure, posing a fire risk.

Additionally, it also depends on where gasoline is spilled. If the surface is non-permeable, most of it evaporates, but porous surfaces may absorb gasoline. The absorbed particles don’t evaporate and can potentially create a fire hazard.

Lastly, if all the gasoline is dried, the leftover hydrocarbons can potentially catch fire. However, they’re not as flammable as actual gasoline.

How Do I Get the Smell of Petrol Off My Skin?

You can use hydrogen peroxide, white vinegar, and rubbing alcohol to remove the smell of petrol from your skin. However, some people have sensitive skin, and petrol can irritate your skin in case of prolonged exposure.

This is why mild natural products such as baking soda and lemon are recommended which don’t aggravate your skin. You can skip on lemon juice as well if it hurts your skin.

How Long Does Gasoline Stay Flammable?

If the spill is quite a lot, it is safe to assume that gasoline will stay flammable for about 15 minutes. However, if it’s a large spill, expect it to be flammable for multiple hours.

Summing it All Up

Many ways can be employed to get rid of gasoline’s smell off your hands, like using vanilla extracts and even toothpaste. 

The best way is to thoroughly rub each ingredient onto your hands, wait for about 2 minutes and then wash it off. For clothes, it’s ideal to dry them off in the air for 24 hours before using a degreaser, then wash them off in a washing machine. Stay safe!