How to remove Turmeric Stains from skin: We have a love/hate relationship when it comes to cooking with Turmeric. Mostly “love” though. I mean, how could you not love something that is just SO darn good for you? (Check out turmeric’s numerous health benefits here if you are unconvinced). But the ‘hate’ part comes into play when preparing turmeric by hand, whether for use in smoothies/juicing/cooking… you name it. It all ends in varying degrees of the same dreaded affliction, also known as “Turmeric Hands”. If you are not familiar, ‘Turmeric Hands” can make you look like the unfortunate victim of a self-tanner fiasco, performed in a pitch black room by your very intoxicated grandma and her best friend, Snooki.

It’s not all bad news though. On the bright side, ‘Turmeric Hands” do look awfully similar to “Cheeto Fingers”. This lends a great alibi should you ever be caught orange-handed with LEGIT Cheeto Fingers, and you don’t wish to fess up to your hedonistic moment of weakness. Instead, scoff LOUDLY at the person who has caught you… because they deserve it (don’t forget to make a scene about them questioning your morals too, that’s important). Once you have found the room in your heart to forgive, calmly explain the reason for your orange hands: a healthy, fresh-squeezed juice that you lovingly cold-pressed by hand; a juice filled to the brim with nourishment, sunshine, and a mega-dose of your very favorite orange treat… turmeric. #HealthyAF

Luckily, we have a solution for how to remove turmeric stains from skin; this is our preferred, tried-and-true method. Here is how to clean those pesky Cheeto… er, I mean Turmeric, stains off of your grubby hands.

HOW TO REMOVE TURMERIC STAINS FROM SKIN:

Now it’s time for the good stuff- here is how to remove turmeric stains from skin! You will exfoliate with a natural, homemade scrub which uses just 3 ingredients, all of which are readily available in your kitchen, and takes about 15 seconds to prepare.

1. To concoct your “turmeric remover” scrub, just gather and combine these 3 ingredients: Sugar, Baking Soda, & Lemon Juice, preferably from fresh lemons. Note- If you do not have lemon juice, you can use any of the following instead: coconut oil, olive oil, milk (cow, almond, or coconut), or water as a last resort (room temp, no hot water).
2. Combine 1 tablespoon sugar, 1/2 teaspoon baking soda, and 2/3 teaspoon lemon juice (or any other liquid mentioned in list above). Liberally apply the your homemade “turmeric-remover scrub” to all affected areas.
3. Now begin to scrub into the turmeric stain, using a terry washcloth, shower loofah, natural bristle brush, toothbrush… whatever ya got with a bit of a rough surface. That will help exfoliate and work in tandem with the sugar scrub. Scrub in a circular motion like your life depends on it, or like you really wanna get this ‘ish off your skin already. It may take a few rounds, depending on how ‘Oompa-Loompa’ you are. Jokes aside, you MUST be mindful and gentle with your skin. Exfoliating is one thing, but don’t get carried away and rub your skin raw out of frustration/impatience. You are trying to fix a problem, not create a new one. Be kind to your skin!
4. Moisten a cotton ball or cotton pad with coconut oil, olive oil, or witch hazel; whichever you prefer. Dab it on any areas that still need a bit more attention. Some of the remaining yellow pigment should adhere to the cotton ball. If not effective enough, try lemon juice or apple cider vinegar instead, letting the wet cotton soak into the skin for a few minutes before wiping away. Repeat process as necessary.
5. Finally, your last step is to vow to never touch turmeric again. Like, ever. Optionally, you may instead blackmail (1) person of your choosing (your partner, a friend, a trusted family member) into agreeing to handle the turmeric for you- every single time that you cook, until the end of time, forever and ever. Amen.

HOW TO PREVENT TURMERIC STAINS WHEN COOKING:

• I have a few bonus pointers for you lovely readers! We have just wrapped up the topic of ‘how to remove turmeric stains from the skin’, and we are now moving on to the topic of preventing turmeric stains in the first place! Here are a few firsthand tips that I’ve picked up along my journey, which have make cooking with turmeric a LOT easier.  I hope these tricks help you too!
• First and foremost: WEAR GLOVES! I remember being both awestruck and annoyed when this very “DUH” solution came to me… it was SO obvious, that it wasn’t obvious at all. Wear gloves, avoid stains. Huh, very advanced stuff! I am sure hundreds of thousands of people figured that out on their own, much sooner than I, and with much less time spent scrubbing their stained hands…. oh well. When that lightbulb went off, I joined their ranks and that’s all that matters! Wearing gloves is so simple yet such sound advice, and definitely your best bet for avoiding turmeric-stained hands while cooking. But if gloves aren’t an option, or you just like to live on the edge, here is some advice for preventing turmeric stains on bare hands-
• If you are using fresh turmeric, peel it with a vegetable grater (not a paring knife), and use a cutting board that you aren’t especially attached to. IMMEDIATELY rinse hands and cutting board after handling turmeric; time is of the essence and scrubbing the majority of the stain out now is the best opportunity for prevention.
• If you are using powdered turmeric, make sure you are using organic powdered turmeric. Much of the bottled turmeric you see among the supermarket shelves contain additives and/or artificial dyes- which can lend itself to a more striking color, but also to a more striking stain.
• This next trick is not foolproof, but has still been a very helpful to minimize turmeric stains while cooking: Pour warm milk into a bowl, and rub your hands together in the milk immediately before handling turmeric. Cow, almond, and coconut milk are all good options, with cow milk being the #1 choice. (The lactic acid in cow’s milk is especially helpful in circumventing the cheetoh-stained hands!) You could also give yogurt a shot if nothing else, although the thick consistency is not ideal IMHO… would def be my last choice if desperate.
• If your concern is less about turmeric-stained skin and more about turmeric-stained nails, give this cooking prep method a try. Dab a Q-tip into a small amount of coconut or olive oil, carefully applying to the inner ridge of your cuticles ONLY. This will help to prevent the turmeric from staining your nail beds (or ruining a fresh manicure!) A very small coverage area and precise application are important! I am sure it goes without saying, but do NOT overdo the oil; do NOT put it all over your nails & tops of fingers; do NOT get it on the backs of your fingers or the palms of your hands- I hope you know what I’m getting at. Oiled-up, greasy butterfingers do not belong in the kitchen EVER, so step away from kitchen utensils and sharp knives if you got even slightly heavy-handed with that oil! I know we are all adults here and can use our own discretion, just want everyone to stay safe! 10 orange, turmeric-stained nails are much better than no fingers, right 😉 You really do only need a tiny bit of oil on the inner cuticle ridge. That small bit will definitely help combat most of the turmeric from penetrating/staining your nails. Good luck!!

SUMMARY: How to remove turmeric stains from skin / How to prevent turmeric stains

Well, that about wraps it up! We really hope that you found this useful. Please leave a comment, or some feedback, or tell a funny joke! Do you have any other methods for how to remove turmeric stains from skin?! Any methods of your own that you use to prevent turmeric stains (especially in the kitchen)? I would love to hear them!!! Us foodies (and turmeric lovers) are all in this together! Please leave your suggestions below!