preferred hand cleaner

[crazycars]

If you like working on old cars, I'm sure  you have a favorite hand cleaner you usually use when you clean up. I have been using GO-JO for years but lately it just doesn't seem to work as well as it used to.  What do you think works best?

 (I've already heard about washing the supper dishes to clean hands!)

[Ben Bruce aka First Born]

I like Joe's Citrus. I have found none better.

 

  Ben

[Frank DuVal]

Mean Green!!!!!!

 

https://www.amazon.com/Mean-Green-Power-Hand-Scrub/dp/B00CZIG1MQ

 

It removes grease very well. Follow directions. "A little dab 'ill do you " applies here as well as Brylcreem.

 

I must add that I am still using my supply from the mid 90s! So I can only assume the formula is similar. I really mean a small dab will clean most of the grease off both hands and arms after working on oily Corvair engines. And it is a scruffer to boot.

 

When I had a shop with employees, the hardest part was getting them to use small amounts, since they were used to Go Jo, pink soap, etc. So, I had to clean the drains of Mean Green deposits every 6 months or so.

 

Buy the small container to start, unless you have employees or many friends working in your garage.

 

Trust me, in 13 years of running a shop I tried every hand cleaner out there.....  This one alone stands out. 

Edited November 30, 2017 by Frank DuVal (see edit history)

[Bloo]

My favorite was Keith's Hand Cleaner. I can't seem to get any more of it. 

 

One container of it lasted years. It was originally made to remove printer's ink I think. It would remove anything. It was a white powder you just sprinkle on. The container had holes in the top that looked like the ones on Parmesan cheese.

 

[Larry Schramm]

11 minutes ago, Bloo said:

My favorite was Keith's Hand Cleaner. I can't seem to get any more of it. 

 

One container of it lasted years. It was originally made to remove printer's ink I think. It would remove anything. It was a white powder you just sprinkle on. The container had holes in the top that looked like the ones on Parmesan cheese.

 

 

Here ya go,

 

https://www.amazon.com/Keiths-Hand-Cleaner-Containing-Conditioner/dp/B00E0PZ4J8/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1512009225&sr=8-1&keywords=Keith's+Hand+Cleaner

 

Edited November 30, 2017 by Larry Schramm (see edit history)

[Bloo]

Thanks!

 

I am really surprised to see it. In the recent past online searches only led to a Facebook page nobody seemed to be monitoring. Three years or so ago, I actually went to the address as I was passing through Burley, ID where it is made. There was another business in the building. The person there was a relative of "Keith", but had no hand cleaner. Good to see it back!

[Bleach]

I haven't needed to use any hand cleaners for a long time. I've been using some of the thicker types of nitrile gloves for about the last 15 years or so. I occasionally need to use a good hand brush with regular soap for the times the gloves get nicked and some grease gets through.

[Willie Wurke]

The best hand cleaner I have found in the last 75 years is Joy dish detergent and a scotch brite scouring pad. 

You have to try it to believe----it is not rough on  tender skin !     An old Maytag repairman put me onto it.

      Might be the cheapest also!

[PFitz]

I used Go-Jo for many years, but never cared for the way it left my hands feeling slimy.  Had to make sure to wash the Go-Jo off if I was going to be handing parts in primer.  

 

When the citrus based cleaners came out I switched to using Fast Orange with pumice. Available at Walmart. And  it seems to be the same product in the same containers at NAPA but with a NAPA label on it.  The smooth version (no pumice) is very good at pretreating oil stains on work clothing before they go in the washing machine.

 

Paul

[maok]

I use de-greaser (not sure what that is doing to my skin, I buy it by the 20L drum) first then SolVol hand cleaner, again buy it in large quantity .

[Spinneyhill]

I try to use blue nitrile gloves, nothing special. They cost about 10c per glove, so as soon as one gets a hole or tear, it is replaced by another. Right pocket = new or worn, left = holey and they go in the bin next time I get near it. Otherwise, just ordinary hand wash from the supermarket and a nail brush. I try to get something without palm oil (thinking of the orang utans etc.) but that is not easy. I used to use solvol, Swarfega and so on but they are pretty hard on the skin. In the winter it is hard to avoid cracks in my fingers so the gentlest soap is required.

 

Take care with gloves when working with revolving machinery! Luckily the nitrile is easy to tear.

 

[tripwire]

Years ago, no one used gloves in those days.  One of my diesel mechanics would use CRC Carb-Clean or similar to get the heavy stuff off, then wash his hands with regular soap and water.  Once I found him in the back room with his hands in the 5 gallon pail of carburetor soak so I asked him what he was doing.  He said he wanted his hands clean because he was going out on a date in the evening and didn't want the woman to see his hands that normally would have some remnants of grease stains on them.  I have to say after he rinsed the chemicals off his hands did come out clean with no dark marks anywhere and once the red skin calmed back down his hands looked like he sold insurance or some other pencil pusher job, only with calluses.

 

WParo in VT

[JWLawrence]

I have found that Dawn dish washing liquid works very well in removing grease and grime from my hands. Inexpensive and easy on the skin. Highly recommended. JWL

 

Edited November 30, 2017 by JWLawrence
add word (see edit history)

[TexRiv_63]

After living with greasy and rough hands for over 40 years and using every cleaner known to man I finally switched to blue nitrile gloves about 3 years ago. I buy the 100 count box at Walmart and go through 2 or 3 boxes a year, should have done it a lot sooner!

[crazycars]

I ordered Keith's hand cleaner on Amazon. Tried it and it's really good. Definitely better than GO-JO. Still planning to try all the suggestions in the quest to find the best greasy hands cleaner. Thank you all!

[39BuickEight]

I use GoJo and for the 1% it won’t take off I use lacquer thinner.

[Frank DuVal]

For people who need to remove grease from their hands every other weekend or so, any harsh chemical might work fine without hand damage.

 

But for people working in it every day, and needing to clean their hands several times a day, stay away from harmful solvents.  I went through lots of brands and types of hand cleaner in the shop, seeing how well they cleaned, and also if I could go out on a date later... yes, this was before I was married , and not get comments on how rough my hands were. Now I just worry about the wife complaining...  SO when painting and needing to remove dried paint at the end of the day, sometimes  do need to use a harsh solvent (lacquer thinner), but I follow quickly with a good hand moisturizer. For the last few years I am using the Vaseline product that says FOR MEN. 

 

For grease, Mean Green is my current choice (for the last 20 years) followed by manual dishwashing liquid if needed.

[zeke01]

My trick is to use a good quality hand lotion before I start my project. The lotion provides a layer between the skin and grease. My skin doesn't absorb chemical smells as much either. To keep my fingernails clean, I rake them down a bar of soap before I get them greasy.  Zeke

[Bleach]

I used to use Simple Green before I used gloves. I still like to keep a jug around for the times I'm too lazy to use gloves.

[Marty Roth]

On 11/29/2017 at 8:34 PM, Larry Schramm said:

 

Here ya go,

 

https://www.amazon.com/Keiths-Hand-Cleaner-Containing-Conditioner/dp/B00E0PZ4J8/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1512009225&sr=8-1&keywords=Keith's+Hand+Cleaner

 

 

Followed the link:

 

Unfortunately it shows to be 

Currently unavailable. 
We don't know when or if this item will be back in stock.

Edited December 9, 2017 by Marty Roth (see edit history)

[WPVT]

Try Bon-Ami. I find it very effective and not at all harsh. It contains ground feldspar and a coconut derivative.  

[Bhigdog]

Grease stained hands, skinned knuckles, broken nails. I consider them a badge of honor. ..............Bob

Edited December 13, 2017 by Bhigdog (see edit history)