CRAWFISH TIPS • HAND ODOR GUIDE
How to Remove Crawfish Smell & Seasoning From Your Hands
A Practical Cleanup Guide After Crawfish, Crab & Spicy Seafood
A good crawfish boil is supposed to leave an impression.
Your hands don't have to smell like one for the rest of the day.
After peeling crawfish, crabs or shrimp, your hands can be left with a combination of seafood odor, oily seasoning, garlic, onion and spicy residue. A quick rinse with water often isn't enough to get everything off.
And anyone who's ever rubbed their eyes after a crawfish boil knows there's another reason to clean your hands thoroughly.
Here's why seafood odors and spices can linger—and what you can do about them.
How to Remove Crawfish Smell From Your
Hands
The goal is to remove the residue causing the odor, not simply cover it with a stronger fragrance.
Clean Your Hands as Soon as You're Finished
The sooner you remove seafood juices, oils and seasoning residue, the less opportunity they have to remain on your skin or transfer to other surfaces.
Use Seafood Hand Cleaner Soap When Water is Available
Thorough handwashing is a good first step
Work soap across:
Palms • Backs of hands • Between fingers • Fingertips • Around fingernails
If your hands are heavily coated with seasoning and seafood residue, you may need more than a quick wash.
Use a Seafood Hand Wipes; Designed to Remove Seafood Odors & Spices
Ordinary wet wipes are useful for everyday cleanup, but they're not necessarily formulated around what happens at a seafood boil.
That's why Lapeyroux's Seafood Hand Wipes were developed specifically for cleaning up after foods such as crawfish, crabs and shrimp.
They're formulated to help remove seafood odors and spices from your hands, rather than simply adding fragrance over the smell.
That makes them especially convenient when you're at a:
Crawfish boil • Crab boil • Seafood restaurant • Festival • Tailgate • Backyard cookout • Camping trip
No trip to the sink required for routine cleanup.
What About Garlic and Onion Smell?
The seafood isn't always the only culprit.
Crawfish and seafood boils commonly contain generous amounts of garlic and onion, both of which contain sulfur-containing compounds responsible for their distinctive aromas.
Those smells can transfer to your hands while you're peeling seafood and handling ingredients.
That means your hands can continue smelling like the boil even after the obvious seafood residue is gone.
Thoroughly cleaning your hands helps address the mixture of seafood, garlic, onion, spices and oils left behind.
What Should You Use After Eating Crawfish?
If you're at home, and running water is readily available, use Seafood Hand Cleaner Soap!
But crawfish boils aren't always held somewhere with a convenient sink nearby.
That's where the ultra-portable Lapeyroux's Seafood Hand Wipes become especially useful.
Lapeyroux's Seafood Hand Wipes were created specifically for the mess that comes with eating and preparing seafood.
They're formulated to help remove odors and spices associated with foods including:
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Crawfish
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Crabs
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Shrimp
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Garlic
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Onions
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Jalapeños
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Buffalo wings
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Current Seafood Hand Wipes also feature:
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97% water
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Aloe enriched
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Hypoallergenic
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Dermatologically tested
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pH balanced
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Toasted Oats scent
Keep a pack on the table during a seafood boil and the cleanup becomes a lot easier!
Be Careful With DIY Remedies
Search online and you'll find plenty of suggestions for removing seafood odors, including lemon juice, vinegar, baking soda and other household ingredients.
Some people use these successfully, but they're not necessarily ideal for everyone's skin.
Acidic or abrasive ingredients can be uncomfortable on dry, cracked, irritated or cut skin - something that's worth considering after peeling a pile of crawfish or crabs.
If your hands are already irritated, avoid aggressive scrubbing or experimenting with harsh cleaning products.
Don't Forget the Table, Phone & Everything
Else You Touched
There's another part of seafood-boil cleanup people overlook.
Your hands can transfer seasoning and seafood residue onto:
Phones • Drink cups • Tables • Chairs • Coolers • Door handles • Utensils
Clean hands can quickly become messy again if you pick up something covered in seasoning.
Keep the eating area clean and wipe down contaminated surfaces with an appropriate surface-cleaning product.
And try not to scroll through your phone while peeling crawfish.
Your screen will thank you.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why do my hands smell after eating crawfish?
Handling crawfish can leave seafood juices, oils, seasoning, garlic, onion and other food residues on your skin. Some of these substances produce strong odors that can remain noticeable until they're thoroughly removed.
How do you get crawfish smell off your hands?
Wash your hands thoroughly with soap and running water when available, paying particular attention to your fingertips and fingernails. When you're away from a sink, a portable wipe formulated for seafood odors provides a convenient cleanup option.
How do you get crawfish seasoning off your hands?
Remove visible residue and thoroughly clean your fingers, palms, fingertips and areas around the nails. Lapeyroux's Seafood Hand Wipes are formulated specifically to help remove seafood odors and spices from hands.
Why do my hands burn after eating spicy crawfish?
Spicy seasonings can contain capsaicin and related compounds responsible for the sensation of heat from chili peppers. Residue remaining on your hands can continue causing irritation or be transferred to sensitive areas.
Can I just rinse crawfish seasoning off with water?
Water can remove some residue, but oily food residue and spicy compounds may require more thorough cleaning.
What should I use after peeling crabs or shrimp?
Soap and water are a good option when a sink is available. When you're eating seafood away from home or want something conveniently available at the table, Seafood Hand Wipes formulated for seafood odors and spices can be useful.
Can Seafood Hand Wipes be used for foods besides crawfish?
Yes. Lapeyroux's Seafood Hand Wipes are intended for cleanup after crawfish, crabs, shrimp and other messy or strongly seasoned foods, including garlic, onions, jalapeños and buffalo wings.
Crawfish Boil Cleanup Checklist
Before you call the boil finished:
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Clean your hands thoroughly.
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Clean around your fingernails.
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Don't touch your eyes with seasoning-covered fingers.
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Wipe down contaminated tables and surfaces.
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Clean phones or other items handled while eating.
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Dispose of seafood shells and waste promptly.
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Wash reusable seafood tools and utensils.
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And keep a pack of Seafood Hand Wipes within reach during the boil rather than waiting until everyone is finished.