How to Remove the Smell of Bleach from Your Hands

Co-authored by Eduardo Peralta

Last Updated: August 26, 2024 Approved

Bleach is one of the most well-known and often used cleaners and sanitizers on the market. It leaves everything looking brighter, but it also leaves everything smelling very heavily of chlorine, including your hands. That smell can be overpowering not only to you but to those around you as well so it's important to remove it as quickly as possible.

Things You Should Know

Use lemon or tomato juice to neutralize bleach odors on your skin.
Scrubbing your hands with baking soda or coffee grounds will also work.
Massage coconut oil or olive oil into your skin to remove bleach odors and moisturize at the same time.

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Eliminating the Smell

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1
Neutralize the bleach with lemon or tomato juice. Neutralize bleach's base chemical make-up with foods high in natural acids.^{[1]
X
Research source} Combining an edible liquid acid with bleach is a great way to even out the overall pH and eliminate that unpleasant odor. Use any one of the following foods to neutralize the bleach:
- Lemon juice ^{[2]
  X
  Expert Source
  
  Eduardo Peralta
  House Cleaning Specialist
  
  Expert Interview. 29 October 2021.}
- Another citrus juice like lime, orange, or grapefruit
- Tomatoes (tomato sauce, puree, or paste work as well)
Rub it in well. It's best to do this for at least a minute as it gives you time to make sure you've covered everything. This also allows the liquid to soak in and neutralize the bleach.

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Voila! The smell will hopefully be gone.
If washing your hands doesn't work, or you don't wish to use straight liquid on your hands, dilute these acidic foods 1:1 with water. Then let your hands soak in this mixture for 2-3 minutes.
5
Create an exfoliant scrub from household products. Combining a food that is both dry and high in acid content with bleach is a great way to even out the overall pH and eliminate that unpleasant odor as well. Use one of these dry acids as a rub to neutralize the base:
- Baking soda^{[3]
  X
  Expert Source
  
  Eduardo Peralta
  House Cleaning Specialist
  
  Expert Interview. 29 October 2021.}
- Coffee grounds^{[4]
  X
  Expert Source
  
  Eduardo Peralta
  House Cleaning Specialist
  
  Expert Interview. 29 October 2021.}
Take the rub of your choice and do just that: rub it all over your hands. Take your time and rub it in well, much like an exfoliant scrub. Do this for one minute. Wipe off the excess into a trashcan and rinse with hot water. This will allow the rub to penetrate deeply into your pores. If you don't like the smell of coffee, of course, opt for using baking soda.

Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Moisturizing While Deodorizing

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Use select natural oils, lotions, and soaps. Often times natural food, and plant-based oils have a wonderful aroma. They also have the added benefit of moisturizing your skin. Since bleach dries out the skin, it is a win-win: no more dry skin, no more chlorine stink. Some suggestions include:
- Coconut oil^{[5]
  X
  Expert Source
  
  Eduardo Peralta
  House Cleaning Specialist
  
  Expert Interview. 29 October 2021.}
- Almond Oil
- Olive oil
- Aloe Vera lotion: make sure the lotion is high in Aloe Vera as that will make a huge difference in its effectiveness
- Tea tree oil lotion: like Aloe Vera, a higher concentrate will do a better job
- Citrus based lotions
- Citrus based soaps: there are some all-natural soaps that provide both the cleaning power of soap and the moisturizing effects of lotion. Check your local health food store to see if they have any that fit your needs and budget.
When using oils you don't want to overdo it. You could wind up over-oiling yourself, thus adding another step (namely, removing all that excess oil!).
If you're using lotion, this should be enough to coat your entire hand and give you a good idea if you need more and if the lotion you've chosen is doing the job.
If you use a citrus based soap, lather up then use hot water. This helps the soap latch onto those base bleach molecules and lift them out.

Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Using Flowers, Plants and Herbs

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1
Choose essential oils. These give you the ability to choose from a wide variety of oils to find the one you like the best.^{[6]
X
Expert Source

Eduardo Peralta
House Cleaning Specialist

Expert Interview. 29 October 2021.} Make sure to never apply essential oils directly to the skin^{[7]
X
Research source} as they are, in general, too strong for direct contact. Dilute the essential oil in what is known as a carrier oil and apply as needed. Essential oil examples are:
- Lemon
- Eucalyptus
- Lavendar
- Peppermint
- Chamomile
- Marjoram
2
Choose your carrier oil. Some examples are:
- Sweet almond oil
- Hempseed oil
- Fractionated coconut oil
- Olive oil
- Sunflower oil
A good rule of them is a 2-percent solution. This means approximately one drop of essential oil per ounce of carrier oil.^{[8]
X
Research source}
4
Pick petals from your garden. Find the most fragrant flowers or herbs in your yard or purchase them at the store. Then rub the petals or leaves in your fingers and hands to release the fragrant oils within them. Choose such fragrances as:
- Roses
- Geraniums
- Lavendar
- Rosemary
- Peppermint
- Spearmint

Expert Q&A

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Question

Should you wear a mask when cleaning with bleach?

Eduardo Peralta
House Cleaning Specialist
Eduardo Peralta is a House Cleaning Specialist and the Manager of Best Maid House Cleaning based in San Jose, California. With over five years of experience, Eduardo and the Best Maid House Cleaning team specialize in home deep-cleaning, post-construction cleaning, and green and eco-friendly cleaning services. Best Maid House Cleaning is fully licensed and insured.

Eduardo Peralta

House Cleaning Specialist

Expert Answer

A mask can always be helpful in this situation. That said, a protective apron, eyewear and gloves are usually enough to prevent problems.

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Question

How do I get bleach off of my hands?

Eduardo Peralta
House Cleaning Specialist
Eduardo Peralta is a House Cleaning Specialist and the Manager of Best Maid House Cleaning based in San Jose, California. With over five years of experience, Eduardo and the Best Maid House Cleaning team specialize in home deep-cleaning, post-construction cleaning, and green and eco-friendly cleaning services. Best Maid House Cleaning is fully licensed and insured.

Eduardo Peralta

House Cleaning Specialist

Expert Answer

Whenever there's a bleach spill on your skin, wash it immediately with a mild soap. Then, you can use a diluted essential oil or coconut oil to remove the smell.

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Tips

Wear rubber gloves when cleaning with bleach. This will solve the problem before it becomes one.^{[9]
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Expert Source

Eduardo Peralta
House Cleaning Specialist

Expert Interview. 29 October 2021.}

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If preferred, you can cut the lemon into slices and rub these over your hands.

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Rinse your hands with cold water before deodorizing. Contrary to popular opinion, it is best to rinse with cold water because hot water opens your pores and allows the bleach molecules to be trapped deeper into your pores. By using cold water you are constricting those pores and making it easier to lift the smell off your hands.

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Warnings

It is a good idea to wear gloves when using bleach, to protect your skin, as constant use of bleach is very harsh on the skin.

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Do not apply essential oils directly to your skin. If you do so, follow the instructions on the bottle to alleviate or prevent negative reactions.

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Rinsing your hands with inedible acids can cause severe burns. If you realize you have used an inedible acid, rush to your nearest hospital for immediate medical attention.

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Be cautious about what you use to try to eliminate the smell. certain chemicals (exp. vinegar), when mixed with bleach, can be dangerous.

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