Dirty hands

I worked as an Industrial Truck Mechanic for 32 years. We worked around a lot of industrial trucks that were battery powered. The acid and dust from the battery trays were hell on the hands, especially in the winter. We all had a lot of cracked skin from harsh cleaners and chemicals. I started using a lotion called, Lac-Hydrin Five, and man did it clear up the split thumbs. I always kept a bottle in my toolbox and the other guys would want to borrow some, they really liked it also. Just don't want to rub your eyes after using it, as it contains Lactic acid and will burn like crazy if you get it in your eyes. It comes in an 8oz. bottle and is a little pricey, I think around 8 dollars a bottle.
 
I worked for a guy in his 40s who used to wash his hands in carb cleaner and similar stuff. His body finally built up enough of that stuff that he can't be around any shop chemicals, can't be around Diesels or heavy exhaust fumes.
Your skin absorbs stuff. Look up "cumulative poison" sometime.


Me? I wear gloves as much as possible (I'm a mechanic) and wash with Zep hand cleaner. You can also grab a bar of soap and dig it in under your nails before working.

If you have to really super-clean your hands, put on some Bag Balm or similar, and wear latex gloves to bed. They'll be clean in the morning! Remove gloves before the morning pee.
 
lotta good suggestions above, I use liquid dish soap and Boraxo. My wife buys laundry borax, it's cheaper than Boraxo. I have a stiff brush and Lava soap by the shop sink too. Use hand lotion afterwards.
 
I have used several hand cleaners Kresto, Go Jo Cherry, Zep TKO an Cherry Bomb and Warsaw Homerun an Cherry Scrub. These all work very well . I do use them in combination with Dawn to help cut the grease and smell. Will put these in a smaller bottle to take on trips with me. I also like using Simple Green Safety Towels when I'm out on the road. Can't stand to drive with greasy hands.
 
wear latex or vinyl gloves to keep hands clean.

when they do get dirty, rub in some mineral oil, wipe off with a towell then wash with Dawn liquid dish soap. Scotch Brite pads help too.....
 
Tom Wesenberg said:
That or liquid dish soap also works great. A fingernail or hand brush really gets the grease off when used with laundry soap or liquid dish soap.

Now, what's the majic solution to avoid cracked skin on the thumbs during the winter time?
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Tom,
Chief worked at a tractor shop & all his knuckles would crack badly. Bought cheap cotton work gloves, put LOTS of Vaseline on his hands & sleep with the gloves on. Don't wash the gloves, as they accumulate the excess Vaseline in them. (don't wear them to work) Bill W.
 
Tom Wesenberg said:
That or liquid dish soap also works great. A fingernail or hand brush really gets the grease off when used with laundry soap or liquid dish soap.

Now, what's the majic solution to avoid cracked skin on the thumbs during the winter time?
Click to expand...

Liquid dish soap with a green scrubber pad, as for the cracked thumbs I carry a Chapstick and use it every time I think of it. My wifes mother used to use Bag Balm on her childrens lips when they were chapped.
 
Ray64 said:
Tom i use super glue after the fact.just put a little in the crack with a toothpick and push together.works for me.
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I have used Super Glue "Gel" on the cracks in my fingers since it came out.

Works like a charm. ALWAYS USE HYDROGEN PEROXIDE PRIOR TO APPLICATION... This will stop the pain and cleanse the open crack prior to use of the Gel. :o
 
I deal with some really bad eczema in the winter and my hands are cracked and bleeding a lot. The doc has given me a prescription for a steroidal creme that helps and I also keep a humidifier in the house. All this seems to take care of the cracks in the thumbs, hands and skin. However I also have a lot of problems with grease and oils on my hands and most cleaners present a problem. I've found that if I take liquid hand soap and rub it on my hands without water and use a stiff hand brush to scrub with it normally loosens the grease and then a rinse and another normal washing with soap and water does the trick. Then a little udder balm and white gloves on the hands works wonders. Also I've had luck getting my hands clean with some of the gritty go-jo but have a problem with it drying out my hands. And of course an ounce of Windsor taken orally every day does wonders for the complexion.
 
Over the years I developed an allergy to many chemicals. The skin on my hands would crack and turn red and itch like crazy, rough skin. Too many years of exposure to leaded gas, carb cleaners, parts cleaners, thinners etc. caused it. Now I wear gloves and would not think of getting hands all greasy and unsightly. Wear them and throw them away when they get too dirty or wipe them off and wear them again

I use Harbor Fright "Extreme Heavy Duty" disposable gloves, they are black in color and last a lot longer than nitrile or latex. Chemical resistant. Item 68511 with a textured palm for good grip and three times more puncture resistant than latex or vinyl.

Fifty gloves to a box for about $6.00 They really save your skin from harsh cleaners and abrasives.
 
I have used clean light weight motor oil to loosen dirty grease on my hands. I wipe them off with paper towels or a rag then wash off the oily residue with washing powder. Seems to work well for me.
 
I never knew their were so many ways to clean your hands. And I always used just soap..........


Very informative thread guys....
 
My hands get dirty if I just blink in the shop and I'm constantly washing them. What helps for me is Zest bath soap, but when I wash I work up a thick lather and don't rinse, just paper towel dry leaving soap residue all around my fingernails.

Just adopted a little related trick you guys might make use of. I wear blue jeans exclusively in the garage and my always dirty hands were wearing out the right front pocket prematurely on all my jeans. Bothered me no end to have perfectly good jeans with only the top of the right front pocket in tatters.

Then as I was cutting up a pair into shop rags I was looking at the rear pocket section and got the idea to cut one leaving the two upper belt loops attached and slipped it on my belt overhanging the front pocket. Been wearing it ever since and find it easier to get into, especially when I,m already sitting in a car and need to go digging for keys or change.

Ray
 
Corn Huskers Lotion for the cracks and I can't believe I read almost 3 pages before I read the word DAWN dish soap. Dawn is just the best of all the rest.
 
I work with windshield urethane everyday which stains hands pretty bad.
I found the best product to remove it is Cupran Special.
It's a thick creme with crushed walnut shells and comes in tubes (like Vince's picture) & also in a 5 pound pouch.
This is pretty heavy duty stuff and will generally remove old dried paint from your cuticles even.
I would have to put Cupran in the "harsh" catagory of cleaners because if you're working in glues, lacquer thinnner & cleaning products and running to the can to wash several times a day, this stuff would really strip your hands dry.
I keep it by the sink and generally use it once at the days end, and follow up with Tarkelp hand soap.

The main reason I buy Tarkelp is because on the bucket lid it says "since 1931" ...and if that ain't a goodanuff reason it's also a gentle cleaner after using the Cupran and it feels good on my skin.

I've tried the Invisible Glove creme that goes on before work but it goes all slimy if you pick up a wet rag or a hose or anything thing else associated with water.
I dunno what the rest of the world does, but I find it pretty hard to go about my work without touching water at least 10 or 15 times a day and the resultant slimey goo from the invisible glove is disgusting.
Also, after rinsing it off I found my hands were extra dry and cracking.

I usually run around with deep cracks in forefingers and thumbs in the colder months. When they sting & bleed I put on each crack a dab of Polysporin and one of them new 3m Nexcare clear waterproof bandages. The tiny little oval strips will actually stay on your finger tip for sometimes 2 days through the shower and work and hell or high water!
Greatest little bandages ever invented I would say..........
 
I'm sure at one time we have all wiped our hands with gasoline. I had a friend do this and he had a small cut on his hand. It some how got into his blood and caused a infection in his body. It nearly killed him and he was in the hospital for about 5 weeks. Ron
 
This a really good thread, lots of great ideas! I use SHOUT laundry pre-wash spray, doesn't seem to dry my skin out. "VERMIN," MY '29 is so clean that I barely soil my hands anyhow!:p
Someone mentioned Super Glue for cracks, someone else mentioned Bag Balm for chapped lips, got me thinkin' is there a law against puttin' Super Glue on your kid's lips?:eek: (They're old, 50 & 53) Gregg repeats everything 5 times and laughs at his own jokes!:D BREAKTHROUGH! I discovered perpetual motion, Cindy's mouth!:eek: She was sittin' in the "A," talking & the car started movin' without the motor runnin.' I'M GONNA' BE RICH!:p Bill W.
 
I make my own soap for hands and laundry. use 1/2 bar of ivory soap 1/2 cup of Borax 1/2 cup of Arm and Hammer washing soda. grate the Ivory soap up and melt in a pan with 1 cup of water on stove on low heat. when dissolved mix Borax and washing soda mix well. Add 1 and a half gallons of hot water to it let set and it will thicken up. works wonderfull for hands or laundry! try it only cost about 87 cents for 2 gallons. the wife will think you are ever so smart and leaves more money for the A...Dave
 
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