How to Cut an Onion Without Killing Your Eyes

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cut an onion without killing your eyes

How to Cut an Onion Without Killing Your Eyes

So many times your eyes water and get irritated when cutting onions so here is an old trick to stop that!

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Step 1 of 6
First, get out your onion

First, get out your onion

Step 2 of 6
Put the match in between your teeth (unlit!!!)   Ps: tap once on this picture to see it fully... This zooms in on the picture

Put the match in between your teeth (unlit!!!) Ps: tap once on this picture to see it fully... This zooms in on the picture

Step 3 of 6
Cut your onion to its desired width carefully

Cut your onion to its desired width carefully

Step 4 of 6
Now chop the onions in whatever way you like!

Now chop the onions in whatever way you like!

Step 5 of 6
And voila! No tears or irritated eyes!

And voila! No tears or irritated eyes!

Step 6 of 6

Just as a note, red onions aren't as strong as others and the fresher the stronger so I don't know how well the match will withstand other onions but I am pretty sure they will do a decent job!

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49 Comments
Supplies

1 Match stick

Your onion(s)

Putz Meyer

I was a Cerified Executive Chef by teh American Culinary Assoc. with more than 25 years of foodservice experience behind me. The ONLY way I have found not to tear up while cutting onions is: HAVE SOMEONE ELSE DO IT FOR YOU.

Putz Meyer last month

Meredith Wickstrom

I hate cutting onions... Now I need matches lol

Meredith Wickstrom 3 months ago

Holly Shader

We cry b/c of a gas produced when some of the chemicals in the onion mix as cells are broken up while cutting. Use a sharp knife so not as many cells are damaged and a chilled onion so the chemical reaction slows down

Holly Shader 3 months ago

Matthew Singian

Just chew a gum! That's 100% effective!

Matthew Singian 3 months ago

Liz Vlms

I think when you breathing to your mouth instead your nose, that's maybe the amswer?!

Liz Vlms 3 months ago

Anto Nia

Just don't breathe trough your nose while cutting onions :)

Anto Nia 4 months ago

❤Holly Sutherland😊

I had to put a match stick in mouth reading this!!!!

❤Holly Sutherland😊 4 months ago

Luc Devar

Reading this made me cry

Luc Devar 4 months ago

Paul McGuire

I have heard that taking an Ex-Lax 20 minutes prior works very well!

Paul McGuire 4 months ago

Martha Coffman

@sarahgough that's super funny. And I'm sure it works everytime! Lol.

Martha Coffman 4 months ago

Manisha P

If you wear contacts , then your eyes don't tear at all

Manisha P 4 months ago

Nishith Vasavada

Can do the same by turning on the stove and the vent hood. Gets rid of the ammonia, which burns eyes.

Nishith Vasavada 4 months ago

Sarah Gough

I put swim goggles on when I cut onions! The kids think it's hilarious but it definitely works :-)

Sarah Gough 4 months ago

Gordon Morland

Eating milk chocolates works, not plain though.

Gordon Morland 4 months ago

Carly Peña-Guerrero

It's worth a try! Thanks for the ideas!:)

Carly Peña-Guerrero 4 months ago

Brandon Balguna

Use a sharp knife. It'll prevent juices from onions to spray over, therefore not cause you to cry.

Brandon Balguna 4 months ago

Unique Edmonds

Wait wat??? Ill try it

Unique Edmonds 4 months ago

Deepthi Morais

I dont know about plain water, but dipping halved onions in salt water helps

Deepthi Morais 4 months ago

Ricardo Gonzalez

Garbage

Ricardo Gonzalez 4 months ago

Jeffrey Kerr

Seriously, why a match can prevent onion killing eyes?

Jeffrey Kerr 4 months ago

Kaye Tufton

Crazy idea, will try it

Kaye Tufton 4 months ago

Kali Torr

Thank you everyone!

(author) 4 months ago

Kiela Mason

Okay, so I did it match in my mouth and lit a candle (just in case) no more tears. Love it.

Kiela Mason 4 months ago

Franz Über

maybe not sunglasses, but I bet swimming goggles would do it

Franz Über 4 months ago

Cheska Elverson

Sunglasses???

Cheska Elverson 4 months ago

Mikaela Harris-Dobson

Best trick it get rid of the outer skin immediately, this is what causes the irratation

Mikaela Harris-Dobson 4 months ago

Ke Mo

Wot a load of tosh. Grow up and just cut the thing. Duh!!

Ke Mo 4 months ago

Beate Petruccelli

I used to hate cutting onions ...in fact I tried not using them at all because my eyes are so sensitive to the tear gas the Onion releases... until my mom told me to put the onion in the fridge for a few hours before cutting it ... I am now chopping away " tear free" ..

Beate Petruccelli 4 months ago

Gorjan Mishevski

i don't think this will work, its more logical to breathe with your mouth than with your nose

Gorjan Mishevski 4 months ago

Gary Federico

Here's the trick ....the match does nothing.....old chefs trick. If you don't breathe through your nose , you can cut a case of onions with no tears

Gary Federico 4 months ago

WENDELL FRIERSON

I found that wetting the knife with water then begin to cut the onion will stop the tears. Works like a charm. I learned this from my grandmother.

WENDELL FRIERSON 4 months ago

D Terry

Hmmm interesting. Definitely will give this a try

D Terry 4 months ago

Patrick Caldwell

An open mouth is a greater source of moisture over your eyes, thereby attracting the gases released.

Patrick Caldwell 4 months ago

Stacey Fleming

It's all in the head...

Stacey Fleming 4 months ago

Alina Alina

Aleksandr, try leaving the onion halves in water for a few min. I promise you it helps!

Alina Alina 4 months ago

Aleksandr Soloviev

Does not works, after 8 min cutting I'm crying :)

Aleksandr Soloviev 4 months ago

Alina Alina

After cutting the onion in half, you can put the halves in a bowl of cold water for a few minutes, that helps too. It also works if you keep some water in your mouth while chopping, I don't know how it works but it does. I think I tried using soda once and it worked, but I don't remember exactly. Thank you all for your tips and good luck 😊

Alina Alina 4 months ago

Kali Torr

Thanks everyone!

(author) 4 months ago

Sarah Jeffrey

I've also heard if you put the onion in the fridge for a few min before you cut it. That works too :)

Sarah Jeffrey 4 months ago

Ashley Rae

They say this tip on the movie The Help! Cool to know it works.

Ashley Rae 4 months ago

Perla Anabalon David

Great! I'll remember and try this! Thanks!

Perla Anabalon David 4 months ago

Na Na

Hmm.. Amazing

Na Na 4 months ago

Kali Torr

Na Y., the same answer I had said previously :)

(author) 4 months ago

Kali Torr

Anika k., The idea is that the match head attracts and absorbs all the bad chemicals that your eyes are sensitive to and keeps them drawn away from your eyes, this is usually the same explanation for other solutions

(author) 4 months ago

Na Na

What is the theory behind these that makes them work?

Na Na 4 months ago

Soccer<3 22

Why do these things stop the onion odor???

Soccer<3 22 4 months ago

Debbie G

Never heard of this one, but really interesting. I light a candle while chopping onions. This also stops the tears.

Debbie G 4 months ago

Kali Torr

Colana H., Thank you! I have never herd of the bread one but there is another one where you use a spoon! Such quirky things haha

(author) 4 months ago

Colana Hutchinson

That's neat! I never heard of using a match before. I will have to try that. I did try putting a piece of bread between my teeth and let it hang out of my mouth. It wasn't long before the piece of bread started tasting like onion. I didn't like the taste but it did keep my eyes from watering. :)

Colana Hutchinson 4 months ago

Be first to comment on Step 1.

Yingliang Zhang

Incredible! Just a match

Yingliang Zhang 4 months ago

Jen J

R u suppose to lit the march?

Jen J 4 months ago

Carmen Rodriguez

Very good!

Carmen Rodriguez 4 months ago

Be first to comment on Step 3.

Katie Veteto

*well

Katie Veteto 4 months ago

Katie Veteto

I tried this while chopping a large yellow onion, and It didn't help at all.... Oh we'll. it is still a good idea!

Katie Veteto 4 months ago

Leslie Wood

Sounds good and simple will try it

Leslie Wood 4 months ago

Alex De Jesus

Thanks cute lady

Alex De Jesus 3 months ago

ƈƖάɪℛℰ 💕

^ chewing gum or bread too

ƈƖάɪℛℰ 💕 4 months ago

Nicholas Fernhout

I've heard that chewing gum works good too.

Nicholas Fernhout 4 months ago

Samanda Lyles

Lighting a candle works at times too.

Samanda Lyles 4 months ago

Kali Torr

Megan, at the end of this, I have some explanations for it but it is basically because the match attracts the chemicals in onions that hurts your eyes :)

(author) 4 months ago

Megan L

Wow! How does this work?!

Megan L 4 months ago

David Canoa

I shall be trying this next time

David Canoa 3 months ago

Kali Torr

Diane, a lot have people have told me their other alternatives and I would imagine that works too! I would just advise you don't have any loose clothing or hair hanging around the fire :)

(author) 4 months ago

Diane Laudien's

I've heard that a lit candle next to work area also works? must be something to do with carbon?

Diane Laudien's 4 months ago

tiffany hoang

They say breathing through your mouth only helps from having teary eyes. The second you breathe through your nose it's over, theres no turning back.

tiffany hoang 4 months ago

Richy Swaney

I also heard chewing gum while cutting onions stops you from crying ... I'm fairly sure it works ... The only reason my grandma chew gum ....

Richy Swaney 4 months ago

Kali Torr

Ole, for me yes!

(author) 4 months ago

Ole Jiang

It really works?

Ole Jiang 4 months ago

David Higton

Leave the roots on the onion whilst cutting helps. Remove these at the end

David Higton 4 months ago

Rachel Jude 💋

FYI guys rinsing your knife every so often helps too!

Rachel Jude 💋 4 months ago

Kali Torr

Gaby O, great to hear!!!

(author) 4 months ago

Gaby O

I can happily report that it works even with killer white onions! Tried and true :)

Gaby O 4 months ago

Enisha Santacruze

Wow! & I thought just puttin the onion n the fridge did the trick. Thnx! ;-)

Enisha Santacruze 4 months ago

Thelma Hartnady

Just use a very sharp knife,it cuts through the onion cell rather than crushing it. No tears!

Thelma Hartnady 4 months ago

Erik Bishoff

Wait... What? This really works?! I can't wait to try it because I can hardly function after dicing an onion. I fine that cutting next to the kitchen sink while water is running works a bit. (Waste of water) I'll give the match a try!

Erik Bishoff 4 months ago

Amy Yao

Haha, I saw this tip in a movie called "the help" , always wonder if it works! Thanks!

Amy Yao 4 months ago