When you’re processing walnuts for their shells, it’s practically inevitable that you’ll end up with some residual stains. Unless, of course, you work out of a state-of-the-art facility that doesn’t have any walnut husks or broken nuts lying around in the process. Even then, though, there are ways to reduce the likelihood of ending up with stained skin and clothing. Here are some tips on how to get walnut stains off your skin and what to do if the unfortunate does happen.
How To Get Walnut Stains Off Skin?
Rotate your diet
Perhaps the easiest way to get rid of this pesky problem is simply to rotate the foods you eat. This means swapping out the walnut-heavy dishes in your diet with other foods that don’t stain your teeth while they’re in your mouth. If you know that you’re going to be eating a lot of walnuts in the near future, try to space out your meals with different foods that don’t leave a telltale staining effect on your teeth. You can also try switching out walnuts for other nuts like almonds or peanuts that won’t stain teeth nearly as much. If you can’t live without your walnuts, just make sure you’ve got some great stain-removing strategies up your sleeve!
Use stain-removing toothpaste
Stain-removing toothpaste is pretty common these days, and there are plenty of brands competing for your attention. If you’re willing to try out a new brand or switch from your current one, this is an excellent way to get rid of those unwanted stains from your teeth. Stain-removing toothpaste works to remove the molecules of the walnut hulls from your teeth, ensuring that they do not leave stains or discoloration behind. If you’ve been using toothpaste that does not have stain-removing properties, it is likely that you’ve been leaving the stains on your teeth for longer than necessary.
Try baking soda
In addition to being useful for removing odors and cleaning, baking soda can also help to get rid of those pesky walnut stains. After you’ve eaten something containing walnuts, you can use a toothbrush (any kind will do) with a little baking soda to scrub away the stains on your teeth. If you’re eating a salad with walnuts or oatmeal with walnuts and want to remove the stains right away, try soaking your toothbrush in baking soda and using it to give your teeth a quick scrub. This should be enough to get rid of the stains and make your teeth look nice and clean again!
Use a professional whitening treatment
If you are absolutely determined to get rid of the stains from eating walnuts, you might want to consider a professional whitening treatment. This is a service that a dentist can perform in their office, using special products to remove stains from your teeth and make them look brighter and cleaner. Make sure that you choose a dentist who is certified to do the treatment and ask about the stain removers they use. Professional whitening treatment will get rid of the stains from walnuts and other foods, and leave your teeth looking bright and clean. This might be an excellent long-term solution to your problem if you can’t seem to get rid of the stains any other way.
Try an advanced stain remover
If you’re not too keen on using baking soda or a whitening treatment, or if you’ve been trying these solutions for a long time without any success, you might want to try an advanced stain remover. These are stronger and more potent than the simple baking soda alternative, and they might be just what you need to get rid of those stubborn stains. Stain removers come in many forms and there is even special toothpaste that has strong stain-removing properties. It is essential to read the labels carefully to see what ingredients the products have and how they work. If you’re struggling with the stain problem and want something to help get rid of them quickly and efficiently, an advanced stain remover might be the solution you need.
What Causes Walnut Stains?
Walnut Shucking Process
Like many other nuts, walnuts are harvested from trees. When you buy a bag of fresh walnuts, they are usually still inside their shells. To remove the shell, you need to shuck the nuts using a special tool or your fingers. Shucking often leaves a mess — especially if you’re using your fingers. Since you’re dealing with a sticky substance, it’s easy to get walnut juice on your hands and fingers. And, if you’re not careful, even worse places. If you get juice on your clothes, it might not come out easily. It’s also possible to stain nearby surfaces, too, like wood or countertops.
Walnuts Grow in Dark Conditions
Walnuts grow in dark conditions, which is why they’re often stored in dark paper bags. Unfortunately, this is also why they’re notorious for staining clothes. Like blue jeans, dark paper bags can easily transfer their color to lighter-colored clothing. If you have a lot of nuts to store, it might be best to transfer them to a different container. If you do keep them in a paper bag, make sure your clothes stay away from the bag, or you could end up with a stain on your clothing.
Walnuts are Rich in Essential Nutrients
Walnuts are rich in essential nutrients like protein, healthy fats, and minerals like zinc, magnesium, and iron. They’re also high in dietary fiber, which is great for your digestive health. Unfortunately, these nutrients can also cause stains. If you get walnut juice on your clothing, don’t panic — it’s likely that the stains will come out eventually. But before you try aggressive stain removal methods (more on that below), it’s important to know what kind of stain you have.
Walnut Oil Is Non-Edible
Walnut oil is non-edible, which is important to know if you’re using it for cooking. It can stain almost anything it comes in contact with — from your clothes to your countertops. And even though it might not be as harmful as other oils, it’s still not a good idea to get it on your clothes. If you accidentally splash some of the oil when you’re cooking with walnuts, be sure to clean it up as soon as possible to avoid staining your clothes. The same goes for walnut oil in salad dressings and salad toppings.
How To Avoid Getting Walnut Stains On Your Skin?
- If you have fair skin, try to avoid direct exposure to the husks and broken nuts that are rich in the juglone compound. As soon as you’ve finished shelling the nuts, clean your work surface and wash your hands.
- You also want to avoid touching your face or any other exposed skin while working with walnuts, as the compounds can also stain your clothing.
- To reduce the risk of juglone transferring to your clothing, don’t wear fabrics that are thin and loose.
- Avoiding wearing clothes that are thin or porous will help prevent any juglone from seeping through to your skin.
What To Do If You Get A Walnut Stain On Your Skin?
- If you do get a walnut stain on your skin, you can use a solution of water and hydrogen peroxide to remove it.
- If you have a stain on an article of clothing, however, you can use the same hydrogen peroxide solution to get the stain out.
- If the stain persists, you can try soaking the garment in cold water before moving on to a warm water soak.
- If the stain is particularly stubborn, you can also try using a detergent solution or even a bleach solution to remove it.
How To Prevent Walnut Stains?
- While you can’t remove a stain that has already formed, you can prevent stains from occurring in the first place.
- This can help reduce the hassle of cleaning and saving stained clothes and skin. While working with walnuts, you want to make sure your work surface is clean and dry to prevent staining your counter.
- You can also use a tablecloth as an added layer of protection. To reduce the risk of staining your clothes, don’t wear loose-fitting clothing while working with walnuts.
- When you’re done working with walnuts, wash your hands with soap and clean water to wash away any residual juglone on your skin.
Conclusion
Working with walnuts can be a messy process, but it’s an essential one for a lot of baked goods and other recipes. While walnut stains are unsightly, they aren’t dangerous. If you follow the tips above, however, you can reduce the risk of getting stains on your skin and clothing by a significant amount.
