Why Is There A Garlic Smell In The House? (Possible Causes & Fixes)
Imagine waking up to the smell of garlic in your home. Unless you’ve got some cooking on the stovetop, this is probably startling. Why on earth does your house smell like an Italian restaurant? The strong, pungent scent of garlic could be caused by a few different things.
Your house might smell like garlic because of a natural gas leak. You may also be dealing with a skunk or dead animal. Body odors can even smell like garlic. And if you’ve recently cooked with garlic, the smell can linger for days. Get rid of the smell by ventilating your home, deep cleaning, and putting out odor eliminators.
The good news is garlic smells don’t usually indicate danger. It is more unpleasant than anything, and often difficult to pinpoint and remove. But it is important to take the possibility of a gas leak seriously.
Do You Need a Maid Service?
Get free, zero-commitment quotes from pro contractors near you.
Why Does Garlic Smell So Strong?
Garlic: the enemy of vampires and first dates alike. We all know that consuming garlic, especially raw garlic, causes terrible bad breath. Touching or eating it can leave the scent lingering on our breath or hands for days. So why is the taste and smell of this vegetable so strong?
The presence of allicin and cysteine sulfoxide in garlic bulbs gives it this sulfuric, pungent scent and flavor. Allicin is released and changed into sulfur-containing compounds when a garlic bulb is exposed to air. Cysteine sulfoxide is a compound that activates upon being eaten.
Common Causes of Garlic Smell in House
Now that you understand why garlic is so potent, let’s figure out where the smell is originating. Keep in mind, the smell of garlic doesn’t always mean the presence of garlic. The compounds in garlic are like those in onions and sulfur. You might be mistaking garlic for onion, natural gas, or skunk spray. So why are you smelling garlic in your house? Here are the most likely scenarios.
A Natural Gas Leak
There is a chance a natural gas leak is the cause of the garlic smell. On its own, natural gas has minimal odor. But utility companies add pungent chemicals like mercaptan to them. This chemical smells like rotten eggs, sulfur, or garlic so natural gas leaks can be detected. The natural gas Acetylene and its phosphenes also produce a garlicky odor.
If you smell what you think might be natural gas, open your windows and doors. Also ensure you shut off the main gas line at the meter box. If the pungent garlic smell is overpowering, you should vacate your home. Then call your utility company and inform them once you’re at a safe distance.
Cooking with Garlic in the Kitchen
This one may seem obvious, but it should still be considered. Have you recently cooked with garlic in your kitchen? Or eaten a takeout meal made with garlic? Perhaps you have garlicky leftovers in your fridge from days ago that you forgot about. Whatever it may be, don’t underestimate the staying power of garlic smells. The smell can linger in the trash, fridge, or on kitchen tools for days.
Have you chopped raw garlic on a cutting board or sauteed garlic with a wooden spoon? Plastic and wood kitchen utensils can absorb the allicin in garlic. This chemical compound is extremely difficult to remove from items in the kitchen. Plastic takeout containers will also absorb the aroma of any garlic contents.
There are a few things you should do after cooking with garlic to prevent a smelly kitchen:
- Take out your trash after throwing away garlic. If you threw away any raw garlic components or garlic-infused food scraps, take out the trash. The smell might be festering in the trash bag and wafting into your home.
- Deep clean your cooking items. Plastic, rubber, and wooden kitchen utensils that have come in contact with garlic might have absorbed the odors. Ensure you properly clean these items. First, thoroughly scrub the items with a steel scrubby, very hot water, and dish soap. If the scent is still there, sprinkle the item with baking soda and let it sit for 10 minutes. Then scrub it, and rinse.
- Properly seal or dispose of leftovers in the fridge. If your garlic leftovers are poorly sealed or sitting for too long, they might be stinking up the fridge. Did you only cover your garlic fried rice with plastic wrap? Is there two-week old Indian takeout you forgot about? It’s probably time to let it go.
A Skunk or Dead Animal
Furry critters like skunks or dead animals might be the cause of that garlic smell in or around your home. Decomposing animals and skunk spray can give off a rotten garlic-type scent.
- Skunk spray. Certain skunk sprays are made of a concentrate that smells like rotting garlic or rotting cabbage. If a skunk has sprayed in your yard or sprayed your dog, it may be why you’re smelling garlic. Go out and sniff around your fence and yard perimeter for lingering odors.A skunk may have also considered your dog a threat and sprayed it. If your dog has been sprayed, you’ll need to clean it as fast as possible. You can bathe it in a solution of dish detergent, baking soda, hydrogen peroxide, and water.
- A dead animal. If there is no skunk spray involved, you might be smelling a dead animal trapped in your home. Home invaders like mice, possums, or squirrels can get trapped and die somewhere inside. When their bodies decompose, bacteria produce hydrogen sulfides, benzene, and methanethiol.
These offensive compounds smell like a combo of ammonia, sulfur, and even rotting garlic. If you keep smelling this garlic aroma from your vents, basement or attic, or a certain wall, a dead animal might be decomposing.
The first thing you should do is locate and remove the dead animal. Then you will need to thoroughly clean the surface where the animal was resting. Also add odor absorbers like charcoal to the area to eliminate the stench.
Garlic Breath or Body Odor
The garlic you’re smelling might be coming from your own breath. It may also be coming from your own hands or sweat. This can happen for a couple reasons. Poor oral hygiene or recent garlic consumption can give you bad breath. Sweat-induced stress produces oily, sulfuric bacteria on your skin that can make your pits smell like garlic.
If you have recently handled garlic, your skin will absorb the allyl methyl sulfide released from it. Bottom line, any recent consumption and handling of garlic can cause bad breath or smelly skin. Stress-induced sweat may also smell like garlic.
How to Get Rid of Garlic Smell
While the scent of garlic can be challenging to remove from your house, it can be done. Take these steps to ensure your home smells fresh and good as new.
- Ventilate your home. No matter the cause of the garlic smell, you will want to thoroughly ventilate your home. Do this by opening the windows and doors and turning on any fans. Let the air fully circulate for 1 hour.
- Deep clean your kitchen. If you frequently cook garlic dishes, it’s probably time to deep clean your kitchen. You should focus on emptying your trash regularly and sealing garlic meals properly in the fridge. Also ensure you are not leaving leftovers for too long. Scrub any smelly cooking items, especially wood and plastic ones, with a steel scrubby. Then sprinkle baking soda and lemon juice on them to absorb the garlic.
- Remove any dead animals. If a dead animal is the cause of the garlicky, decaying odor, you’ll want to locate and remove it immediately. These carcasses can carry disease and be harmful to your health. Don’t know where the animal is? Contact an exterminator to find and remove it for you.
- Place odor eliminators in trouble spots. Odor eliminators absorb bacteria and foul odors in the air and destroy them. You can make your own odor eliminators or purchase them. If you want to make your own, mix water, baking soda, and lemon juice in a bowl. You can also place activated charcoal in a bowl. Set these in rooms where you smell the garlic and let them work their magic.
Do You Need a Maid Service?
Get free, zero-commitment quotes from pro contractors near you.
Related Questions
What gets garlic smell off hands?
To remove the garlic smell from your hands, pour a teaspoon of salt and two teaspoons of baking soda into your palm. Add a little water and create a paste. Rub the paste all over your hands for one minute, then wash off with soap and hot water. You can also try this with salt and lemon juice instead of baking soda.
Is garlic bad when it turns green?
Are your garlic cloves turning green? And does that mean they’ve gone bad? No, they are not bad. Mixing garlic with acid or heating it can make it turn a bluish-green color. Aging garlic can also develop a green color due to its chlorophyll. In both cases, the garlic is perfectly safe to eat.
Is garlic smell bad for cats?
Garlic, onions, and chives can be very toxic to cats and dogs. Not only are cats repelled by the smell of garlic, but they can also be poisoned by eating it. Small amounts of it can cause gastroenteritis symptoms. Consuming large enough doses can cause oxidative damage to their red blood cells, and even death. But the smell alone is not enough to seriously harm a cat.
Related Guide
More by Jessica Vaillancourt
