Keeping Hands Clean...

[Nelly]

Over the last few days I have been lucky enough to have some time cleaning and maintaining my bike. Yesterday I forgot to put gloves on and when I looked at my habds this morning [despite washing them in swarf thingy] they don't look like the belong to someone who should be working in health care:spank:.
So Apart from the obvious like wearing gloves. Do any of you have a method that allows you to maintain your smooth baby skin.
If you do I would like to hear about it.

Nelly

 

[Mississippi]

I just scrub and scrub. I do not like to wear gloves, because it makes stuff hard to feel for, and the cream and stuff before make it hard to hold onto tools. Lava soap or something like that works pretty good. Also, you can use WD-40, but then you have to deal with that smell all day.

 

[fz6joker]

There is a product (on this side of the big pond at least) called Lavasoap. It will take off any grease or dirt on your hands. It is used in industrial settings for people who weld or work on cars or any occupation along those lines.

 

[Nelly]

I just scrub and scrub. I do not like to wear gloves, because it makes stuff hard to feel for, and the cream and stuff before make it hard to hold onto tools. Lava soap or something like that works pretty good. Also, you can use WD-40, but then you have to deal with that smell all day.

I did use WD40 out of desperation. My hands are all dry looking now with ingrained oil in the creases.
I am used to washing my hands loads at work. They are in rag order now lol.

Nelly

 

[Nelly]

There is a product (on this side of the big pond at least) called Lavasoap. It will take off any grease or dirt on your hands. It is used in industrial settings for people who weld or work on cars or any occupation along those lines.

I have heard of lava soap, does it dry your hands out?

nelly

 

[Mike_Honcho]

I use Orange Clean, it comes in a pumice and it is specifically designed for tough engine grease, oil, and grit. Also it comes with a thick bristled brush for cracks in your knuckles and under your finger nails.

You can get it at any local auto parts store. It comes in an orange bottle.

 

[Nelly]

I use Orange Clean, it comes in a pumice and it is specifically designed for tough engine grease, oil, and grit. Also it comes with a thick bristled brush for cracks in your knuckles and under your finger nails.

You can get it at any local auto parts store. It comes in an orange bottle.

Who makes it please?

Nelly

 

[grommit]

You should "defo" use a barrier cream.

Also I have seem some nasty photos of people with dermatitis around the danglly bits who did not wash before they used the toilet let alone after.

 

[Kilbane83]

Gojo Hand Cleaner

If this stuff doesn't take it off, it didn't come from your motorcycle. Should be able to pick it or something real similiar from any car parts store. Might want to pick up a soft brush to get under your nails to.

 

[racerws]

I don't like gloves either, as there is a loss of sensitivity there.
Sort of like the other gloves we must use sometimes....
I just use GoJo to get rid of most of the grease. Then follow up with
dishwashing soap and a wash rag. The wash rag seems to get the hard to
remove dirt and grease in the cracks and fingernails.
Be sure to use lotion to keep them from drying out so bad. I use Gold Bond, it
has no odor and seems to work well.
On the cuts and scrapes, keep band aids on them with neosporin at night
and leave them off during the day. Seems to heal well that way.
That's how we do it in Texas.

 

[necrotimus]

+1 on the gojo cleaner... when I worked with inks on printing presses the pummice was the only thing that would remove it...i also have had to use an abrassive brush before...

When I start dealing with changing oil or fluids on cars after I have gotten the bolts off and such I will sometimes put on a pair of dishwashing gloves. They are thicker than latex gloves but thin enough to allow for some feeling.

 

[reiobard]

not sure about the baby smooth skin but if you get something on your hands that won't come off you can usually scrub with a bit of gasoline... it will disolve and remove just about any petrolium based products such as grease or oil.

Then just wash and moisturize after you get them clean

 

[mstewar1]

Nitrile gloves. They're thin enough that I can pick up washers and such. They come in a box of a whole sh*tload for cheap at harbor freight. I may go through a pair or two when working on something or cleaning but I don't care. And my hands sweat while wearing them, but again, I don't care.

I prefer to have a barrier between me and all of the wonderful chemicals I might encounter while working on a vehicle. Gas on your hands?! Nope, not me, not on purpose. I like my liver.

And clean up is a non-issue this way.

I take the few seconds to cover my bike whenever I leave it outside, why wouldn't I do the something as quick and easy for my own body when there's a risk of exposure to chemicals?

I grew up working on cars and motorcycles. And was a bicycle mechanic for years. I've done my time without any protection...

As always, YMMV and so on.

 

[Smittyboy]

Pretty much ditto to everyone. I've used lava that orange goop and all other sorts of stuff. My favorite has got to be GOJO!!! somebody made a link I think... If your hands are brown after using that product it's genetic... It leaves a pleasant citrus scent and doesn't dry out your hands in the least... Also, an old toothbrush works wonders on the knuckle cracks and under the nails...

 

[Mattberkshire]

Got a pump action tub of Swarfega that gets most of the sh!te off but after working on the bikes I've usually got black fingers and nails for a couple of days. I hate having greasy hands and wash all the time when I'm preparing food or somthing like that but oil and stuff from the bike never really bothers me. Besides I think it looks quite cool having 'mechanics hands' - as if to say 'yup, got my hands dirty working on bikes and engines and stuff':rockon:

 

[fz6joker]

I have heard of lava soap, does it dry your hands out?

nelly

It doesn't dry out my hands but if it did I would just put on some Corn Huskers Lotion. Have you tried that stuff? Its amazing for getting rid of that gasoline or oil smell that sometimes lingers on my hands after working on the bike.

 

[wolfc70]

It all depends on how dirty my hands are, I hardly ever wear gloves. Really dirty hands (like after repacking the wheel bearings on my trailer) I spray brake cleaner into a rag to help remove the heavy stuff. This will instantly remove any natural skin oils, so your skin will crack if you do not put lotion on. After the brake cleaner I use ProSoap to finish cleaning my hands. This stuff works better than Lava Soap, and I buy it in the Sample size, I order 10 at a time.

Industrial ProSoap Hand Cleaner, Biodegradeable, Green Environment Friendly Soap, Dispensers & Water based Degreasers, Scrubs & Cleansers Products


Sample size:ProSoap Sample Size Container

 

[Wolfman]

When your finioshed working on the bike, good ol Fabric spot remover spray brings your hands up sqeaky clean in about 20 seconds...bit of moisturizer and your hands are soft as a baby's bum in no time.

:thumbup:

 

[ANLR21]

I use disposable latex gloves that I pick up in a box of 100 at Lowes or Home Depot for about $6. These are skin-tight, and don't reduce feel or dexterity much at all.

Might make you look like a proctologist , but saves a lot of hassle on clean-up.

 

[Mississippi]

I use disposable latex gloves that I pick up in a box of 100 at Lowes or Home Depot for about $6. These are skin-tight, and don't reduce feel or dexterity much at all.

Might make you look like a proctologist , but saves a lot of hassle on clean-up.

Do you ever have a problem with them ripping?