How To Clean Hands After Cutting Jalapenos

Tips for how to get the jalapeño burn off your skin

jalapeno

Ok, we've all been there. We're sipping on a heavenly marg and chopping jalapenos to our heart's content when the inevitable happens. We rub our eyes or nose and the next thing we know we're screeching around the house like a crazy person. Once I actually took my contacts out with pepper fingers and almost had to call 911.

So what gives? How do we get hot pepper oil off of our skin—or do we?

First of all, don't be a dumba$$. Always, always wear gloves when cutting peppers. Grab a pair of rubber gloves and keep them in a baggie under the sink only for peppers. Rubber gloves are better than the tight latex gloves because they are easy on and off and reusable.

If you do slip up and cut peppers without gloves here are some remedies. Please note: I've tried them all and they work ok but nothing is proven to get rid of it immediately.

Oil
Oil helps dissolve the hot chili oils. Some have even claimed that rubbing your hands with just a touch of vegetable or olive oil (but not enough for your hands to become slippery) before cutting peppers will coat them enough to prevent the sting from happening in the first place.

Alcohol
Chili oil and capsaicin are more soluble in alcohol than in water, so a good splash of rubbing alcohol or even high-proof alcohol like vodka can help wash it away.

Whole Milk or Yogurt
The theory behind this one is that chili pepper is also more soluble in fats and oils than it is in water. While some claim this is an urban legend, others swear by it! Soak your hands in the milk or yogurt until the burning sensation stops.

Weak Bleach Solution
In an episode of Good Eats, Alton Brown says, "By the way, capsaicin, the fiery compound in chilis, will stick to your fingers for hours turning your hands into chemical weapons. You can prevent this by wearing vinyl or latex gloves. Or you can occasionally dip your fingers in a five-to-one solution of water and bleach while you're working. The bleach will turn the capsaicin into a water-soluble salt that will then rinse away.

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