For people who are aware of the fruit, it is common knowledge that you either love or hate durians.

There is no in-between.

And the biggest reason one might loathe the king of fruits is it’s all-conquering and all-encompassing repulsive smell that takes no prisoners.

They get on your clothing like a wet towel, stick to the furniture like an unforgiving laksa stain, and even get into your hair like a barbecue session would.

One might even believe that the smell can even go through walls like WIFI.

So scientifically-defying is the durian aroma’s ability to linger strongly in spaces long after the fruit has left the premises, that governments have long taken the bold step to banned commuters from carrying the fruit on public transport such trains and buses.

And no. There’s absolutely no way you can sneak your way in without being noticed due to the strong pungent aroma of durians.

If no one calls you out on it, it because they choose not to. Not because you have a world-class poker face.

But even though durian lovers absolutely love the fragrant scent of thick durian flesh, there is a tendency for that love to only trigger when one is eating durians.

In fact, a lot people who gouge at durians at the first chance find the aroma a turn-off when they are not feasting on the fruit.

Maybe because it is too distracting. Or that you really don’t want to have your saliva dripping all over the office when you are rushing to finish that report before 6pm.

But if a place is reeking of the heavenly smell of during, there are actually some ways that people have been using for decades as a countermeasure to remove the smell of durians.

1) Durian husk

This is a truly astonishing solution to durian smell.

In the old days, elders would tell youngsters to pour water into the open husk of durians, then use it like a bowl to wash their hands and mouths with to alleviate the smell.

And it works like magic.

While you might not be able to smell like durians one minute and be detoxed a moment later, this can considerably eliminate the scent as soon as you finish washing.

Scientific research in modern times has actually backed up this old-wives formula with facts. It turns out that the husks contain a substance called 5-HMF which has the natural ability to neutralize the fruit’s own smell.

Maybe durians cannot tahan their own smell and protects themselves this way. 😀

You can bring this up a notch by adding a little salt to the water poured into the husk.

Again, don’t ask me why it works. It just does!

2) Durian stem

Another method of durian smell removal that can easily step into the realms of voodoo is using the stem of the durian tree.

Implementation this breakthrough method is done by placing a branch or twig from the durian tree at a ventilation source (like a fan) and smell the magic happen.

Many durians fans can vouch for this method. It only adds to the mystery of this green thorny fruit.

3) Durian seed

The most commonly shared methods of durian scent removal concerns the used of specific parts of the plant itself.

This third methods uses the residual durian seed that you are left with after consuming it’s mustard flesh.

Hold the seed and start rinsing your hands with running water like how you normally would with a soap bar.

Just don’t go back and grab another piece of yellow wonder after washing. That would defeat the whole purpose of washing in the first place.

4) Pandan leaves

To battle against such a formidable opponent, you can use an equally powerful adversary in the form of pandan leaves.

The beautiful smell of pandan leaves has it’s own strong following just as durians.

This is why it is one of the most popular flavours used in pastry goods such as bread, cakes and biscuits, etc.

However, the pandan leaf is much less polarizing than the durian fruit.

So you can smell like pandan instead of durian by placing and rubbing it at the very source of unpleasant durian smell.

5) Lemon

The revered citrus fruit is another formidable foe when it comes to fruit aromas.

It’s no coincidence that lemon is a common scent of choice in air fresheners and moth balls.

Lemon scent has much more mass appeal when compared to pandan and durians.

So it’s one of the safest choices when it comes to using natural fruity to counter another fruity scent.

6) Coffee powder

While coffee is a beloved beverage of many, it’s generally also considered as a sinful pleasure because of how caffeine wreaks havoc in the human body.

But one thing we cannot deny is that the aroma of coffee can be a match for durians, especially in terms of reach.

Just walk into a shopping mall and the odds are that you would be able to get a whiff of the lattes and cappuccinos if there’s a cafe nearby.

Grab a handful of coffee powder and leave it in a bowl with a wide surface area.

It would eventually overpower the durian smell… in a day or two.

You would of course… need to be a coffee lover to use this method.

7) Baking soda

By the same methodology as ground coffee, baking soda can be very effective in removing odor. But in an enclosed space such as the refrigerator, cupboard or cabinet.

They are one of the wonders in the kitchen.

As such, if it’s a matter of emergency, replace it as often as once a day in order for it to hold it’s own against the mighty durian smell.

8) Bamboo charcoal

Other than the natural home remedies that has been described so far, bamboo charcoal leans more towards a scientific solution instead of an alternative health remedy.

It is a proven deodorizer capable of removing the most awful of stenches.

Place some of them at the source of the foul smell and let it get to work.

9) Open all your windows

When all else fails, use a combination of everything listed above, open all your doors and windows to welcome the wind, keep the kids and pets in the safe room, spray air-fresheners, and switch on all sources of ventilation.

If you are lucky, you would be aided by natural breeze which can really speed up the healing process that your nose is craving for.

Finally, do be aware that your environment would only be durian smell-free until your next durian session… which could very well be the day after tomorrow.

You know you’re going for it.