Soap

slotrod65 · Post by **slotrod65** » Tue Mar 12, 2013 6:09 pm

OK, so it has been a while since I have gotten my hands good and dirty wrenching.

I need to clean my hands of oil, grease and dirt, but I also wear contacts, so I can't have a soap that leaves stuff on my hands when I am done. This includes moisturizers and lotions. My regular everyday soap is dial, but it just doesn't cut grease like in the old days, even after washing 2-3 times. I just want a good old fashioned soap that will get my hands clean, without making them smell like some other chemical, or vanilla, or lilac or some other fruit or flower.

Right after work today, it is off to Wally-world to pick up some Lava soap to try, although I have heard that even Lava has moisturizer now....

So, what soap do you use, and does it really work? Does it leave your hands really clan with no chemical or flowery smells?

Witch · Post by **Witch** » Tue Mar 12, 2013 6:15 pm

The plain Softsoap (or generic equivalent) liquid stuff usually works pretty well. It certainly doesn't have any moisturizers or anything in it. Actually dries out my hands, so I don't use it that often.

But my fiance uses it for the reasons you're looking for. He doesn't like my smelly moisturizing soap.

KABarash · Post by **KABarash** » Tue Mar 12, 2013 6:24 pm

Dawn dish soap works for me.....
Don't think there's anything in it that'll be left behind as one usually uses it for..... well, stuff food goes in!

And I think the wild-life rescue people use it to help animals after an oil spill.

Post by **ericalm** » Tue Mar 12, 2013 6:39 pm

I use Fast Orange, which works well but is pretty noxious. Smells, stays on your hands for hours, icky.

But it works. I wind up rinsing and wiping for some time, then just not touching anything if avoidable.

Anything as effective but milder would be nice.

I also wear latex gloves when working, but somehow always wind up with greasy hands anyways.

iMoses · Post by **iMoses** » Tue Mar 12, 2013 6:47 pm

I also use Dawn but I add a teaspoon of sugar. The sugar gives it a scrubbing ingredient. It works well and no smell afterwards.

Any other liquid dish soap like Dawn will work too.

charlie55 · Post by **charlie55** » Tue Mar 12, 2013 6:49 pm

I use Fast Orange as well - good stuff and smells nice, to me at least.

Here's a tip to keep your fingernails clean: before tackling a greasy or sooty job, drag your nails over a bar of soap so that you accumulate some under each nail. Prevents the gunk from getting a foothold.

rsrider · Post by **rsrider** » Tue Mar 12, 2013 7:30 pm

I wear surgical gloves. Nitrile gloves are like $10 for a hundred. Also if you're doing heavy wrenching, get a pair of "mechanics" or other such gloves. Sears always has them on sale it seems. And make you get a small bristle brush with bristles as hard as you can stand to scrub with. Those things are a must have when cleaning your hands. Gojo hand cleaner is good, but way more expensive than dish washing detergent, which works find and with enough rinsing shouldn't be an irritant. But you should always have a barrier between any chemicals and your hands (gloves) no matter what work you're doing.

PeteH · Post by **PeteH** » Tue Mar 12, 2013 8:00 pm

It's kind of an STL thing, but here we have Goop hand cleaner - the original was sort of a white gel, and now they have Orange Goop, which seems to have some pumice in it. Both are great for loosening grease. Do Not Wet Hands First!

siobhan · Post by **siobhan** » Wed Mar 13, 2013 12:01 am

another vote for Fast Orange
and then I moisturise

Throwback7R · Post by **Throwback7R** » Wed Mar 13, 2013 1:48 am

Goop! works even takes grease out of clothes !

az_slynch · Post by **az_slynch** » Wed Mar 13, 2013 2:02 am

PeteH wrote:It's kind of an STL thing, but here we have Goop hand cleaner - the original was sort of a white gel, and now they have Orange Goop, which seems to have some pumice in it. Both are great for loosening grease. Do Not Wet Hands First!

Second vote for Goop. Works pretty well. Never could get comfortable with the gloves thing. The machine gives up grease, you give up blood...sort of a shared sacrifice thing, I guess.

PeteH · Post by **PeteH** » Wed Mar 13, 2013 2:06 am

Hehe - I dug out the orange bottle tonight after moving some sappy fir branches to the yard waste bin. Turns out I had Fast Orange.

Must be out of Orange Goop.

Watch the jewelry, though, as that pumice tears up the rings.

thatvwbusguy · Post by **thatvwbusguy** » Thu Mar 14, 2013 10:48 am

Fast Orange and a good fingernail brush should take care of just about anything your scooter can throw at you. Don't use any water when you first start off cleaning your hands with Fast Orange and you will get much better results.

I also keep a tub of Goop in the workshop for quick "no water" cleanups for when your hands are too nasty to hang onto the wrench you are working on. A package of real cloth shop rags also do a much better job than paper towels could ever hope for.