How do you wash the smell of fish bait and (hopefully) freshly caught fish off your hands?
In the past we used soap and water and rubbed with a lemon - but the latter is not always available.
Clare46 said
11:38 AM Feb 10, 2015
I've found that straight washing up detergent removes the smell of onions so it may work on fishy smells
Big Gorilla said
01:28 PM Feb 10, 2015
Cold Tea. When I lived in Hong Kong in the early 1960s, I noticed a bowl of light brown colored liquid placed on the table with every meal. Inquiries revealed it was cold tea to wash your hands in after eating fish, prawns, seafood. Worked well. No more fishy smell....
jules47 said
05:46 PM Feb 10, 2015
Lemon - scrub your hands with lemon juice - even the bottled one works.
03_Troopy said
12:00 PM Feb 11, 2015
You can get a stainless steel "cake of soap" that is supposed to get the smell off your hands. We used to use sugar to wash our hands, and that seems to work also.
Bruce and Bev said
09:50 PM Feb 11, 2015
I ran a similar thread on wikicamps and got similar answers to those supplied above, but for those who suffer the same problem, some others offered were:
1. wet hands and stick a tpsn of bicarp of soda on and rub, then wash as normal
2. wet hands and pour some white vinegar on (use when fishing) - this lady carries a small bottle of vinegar with her to clean off her hands and reckons it does the job. Uses it in salt or fresh fishing water, then a 2nd wash when she gets home
Troopys suggestion was sent in by about 4 people - apparently you buy these stainless steel spoons/hand soaps from kitchen appliance retailers - so will be visiting those in our area and see how many odd looks I get from the sales staff lol.
Once Ive tried all you helpful ideas out, I'll post a new thread with the results - it is a problem as you end up with bait fish smell all over your rod butts, clothes, and your car - yuk!!
Dougwe said
11:09 PM Feb 11, 2015
The stainless steel soap was introduced many many moons back so campers could wash safely in rivers etc and not pollute the water. I haven't seen it around for a few moons though. It did work on smelly hands as well as has been already mentioned.
Bruce and Bev said
12:00 AM Feb 12, 2015
we have a couple of kitchen shops nearby, so will try to explain them what Im after...........they'll probably call security staff, but either way (once I get out of the mental health assessment ward), I'll let you know if these things are still around and how much they are
jules47 said
08:28 AM Feb 12, 2015
Can get the stainless steel soap from "Innovations" via their catalogue - can get the cattledog on line.
Bruce and Bev said
11:59 AM Feb 12, 2015
Jules - thanks for that - will do.........but don't need a cattledog as well LOL
Sheba said
08:53 PM Feb 13, 2015
You can also get it from the Club Retail site. On special at the moment, for under $10.00.
Sheba. Thank you very much for that. Ive ordered one. All up cost with courier is about $18.
Also thanks to all of you for the great ideas. Im going to try the vinegar while Im actually fishing to see if that works so I don't end up with bait smell on all our rod grips and in the ute.
The steel soap will stay in the 'van
03_Troopy said
11:06 AM Feb 16, 2015
Yes, and if your rods do happen to get baity smelling grips, don't leave them outdoors over night.. I made that mistake only to find them chewed off by the bl**dy dog the next morning.
grahos said
09:53 PM Feb 16, 2015
Vinegar is good for an itchy scalp too.
I also use aftershave to get rid of smelly hands.
Joe50 said
12:16 AM Feb 17, 2015
Just ordered one from Homecare Direct Shopping for $7.90
Joe
Bruce and Bev said
11:04 AM Feb 17, 2015
last night when we went fishing, we tried the white vinegar idea that came off wikicamps.
We bought a 2 lt bottle of Woolies brand for $1.19 and then filled up a disposable plastic water drinking bottle (holds about 250 mls) - we didn't want to lug along 2 lt of vinegar.
After feeding all the babies and having mullies, scalies and squid bait coating our hands, we dipped our hands into the sea, cupped one hand and poured about a teaspoon of vinegar into it and then rubbed it over both hands and rinsed it off in the sea, just as if we were using soap. Repeated the process a 2nd time and clean hands and no smell !!
Then went about 200 metres up the road and spent about $90 having seafood at our local restaurant lol
How do you wash the smell of fish bait and (hopefully) freshly caught fish off your hands?
In the past we used soap and water and rubbed with a lemon - but the latter is not always available.
I've found that straight washing up detergent removes the smell of onions so it may work on fishy smells
Cold Tea. When I lived in Hong Kong in the early 1960s, I noticed a bowl of light brown colored liquid placed on the table with every meal. Inquiries revealed it was cold tea to wash your hands in after eating fish, prawns, seafood. Worked well. No more fishy smell....

1. wet hands and stick a tpsn of bicarp of soda on and rub, then wash as normal
2. wet hands and pour some white vinegar on (use when fishing) - this lady carries a small bottle of vinegar with her to clean off her hands and reckons it does the job. Uses it in salt or fresh fishing water, then a 2nd wash when she gets home
Troopys suggestion was sent in by about 4 people - apparently you buy these stainless steel spoons/hand soaps from kitchen appliance retailers - so will be visiting those in our area and see how many odd looks I get from the sales staff lol.
Once Ive tried all you helpful ideas out, I'll post a new thread with the results - it is a problem as you end up with bait fish smell all over your rod butts, clothes, and your car - yuk!!
You can also get it from the Club Retail site. On special at the moment, for under $10.00.
Cheers,
Sheba.
Also thanks to all of you for the great ideas. Im going to try the vinegar while Im actually fishing to see if that works so I don't end up with bait smell on all our rod grips and in the ute.
The steel soap will stay in the 'van
I also use aftershave to get rid of smelly hands.
Joe
We bought a 2 lt bottle of Woolies brand for $1.19 and then filled up a disposable plastic water drinking bottle (holds about 250 mls) - we didn't want to lug along 2 lt of vinegar.
After feeding all the babies and having mullies, scalies and squid bait coating our hands, we dipped our hands into the sea, cupped one hand and poured about a teaspoon of vinegar into it and then rubbed it over both hands and rinsed it off in the sea, just as if we were using soap. Repeated the process a 2nd time and clean hands and no smell !!
Then went about 200 metres up the road and spent about $90 having seafood at our local restaurant lol