Clean hands?

[Adrian GilesParticipant @adriangiles39248]

+1 for udder cream, contained lanolin which helped me to get rid of the sores on my forearms caused by the washing of the udders with cleansing mixtures.

Later on in life, I once again contracted excema on my fingers and palms, and found that Avon hand cream very quickly cleared it up, I used to recommend it to several people who suffered, and in nearly all cases, cleared up their inflamations as well. It USED to contain lanolin and glycerin and was very good, but the formula has been changed several times over the years, and lanolin has been removed, and is now not so effective.

[MeunierParticipant @meunier]

Following recommendations on a previous hand-cleaning thread, I invested in some "rath's Pr88" .A little on the spendy side but works very well, it's a thickened mousse-like texture, rubbed into the hands and rinsed/brushed off.
Thanks to whoever recommended it, I'll add my vote also.
DaveD

[Raphael GolezParticipant @raphaelgolez]

Our skin is very a important organ. Its our first protection against microbes and it does a lot more. It needs to be look after very well. Some of us have sensitive skins and things we handle can affect it. Chemicals and metals are a few that can irritate or can cause untoward reactions leading to skin damage. Even the latex in the gloves can cause this. Also worth mentioning medical skin disorders and autoimmune skin disease. I'm a medical doctor by profession though my specialty is in Geriatrics Medicine I regularly encounter this on my ward rounds. Relevant to our discussions here are the environmental or work related factor that can cause skin irritation and damage. As mentioned, chemicals we handle and metals are a few of the culprit. The general term my dermatology colleagues used is contact dermatitis (with a wide range of causative agents including metals).

The only effective treatment is to avoid the irritants but then again this is near impossible in this hobby. I do resin casting in my sculpture and guess what, it caused so much skin irritations. I have to apply emollients then latex free gloves then wash thoroughly with soap and more water then re apply emollients again.

The important thing is to understand what we are handling especially chemicals and apply precautions. We don't do skin allergy with metals routinely in the NHS but if its work/livelihood related then this needs discussion with your GP. How I wish that treating illnesses is easy but the reality is this is very individualistic and a good deal of understanding is needed including contact dermatitis related to work and environment. Water would be the most neutral way of rinsing things, soap can dry your skin easily and will need re-moisturizing again however soap can emulsify oily substance easily. Remember that our skin reacts to a lot of materials, even to medications applied to it such as topical steroids. I can advice on steroids but I don't think its appropriate here. This is just an advice from my side having a medical background. Enjoy and stay safe!

Raph

Edited By RAPHAEL VAL GOLEZ 1 on 01/06/2018 23:22:25

Edited By RAPHAEL VAL GOLEZ 1 on 01/06/2018 23:23:08

[David ColwillParticipant @davidcolwill19261]

Last year I started to suffer with eczema, something that I have never had before. I tried various creams before consulting the worlds top doctor ( Google ). There were a number of mums posting about putting bleach in a bath. It seems that there were quite a few cases where kids would develop eczema in the summer holidays and it would go away when they went back to school. The answer being the chlorinated water at the swimming baths. I tried it and it worked very well. after about a month I stopped and it hasn't returned.

I used miltons fluid not domestos!

Regards.

David.

[Douglas JohnstonParticipant @douglasjohnston98463]

Clearly I am not the only one who pulls apart the liquid soap dispensers to liberate the lovely springs inside. Nice to know I am not the only spring recycler around.

Doug

[Barnaby WildeParticipant @barnabywilde70941]

Posted by David Colwill on 02/06/2018 08:27:06:

Last year I started to suffer with eczema, something that I have never had before. I tried various creams before consulting the worlds top doctor ( Google ). There were a number of mums posting about putting bleach in a bath. It seems that there were quite a few cases where kids would develop eczema in the summer holidays and it would go away when they went back to school. The answer being the chlorinated water at the swimming baths. I tried it and it worked very well. after about a month I stopped and it hasn't returned.

I used miltons fluid not domestos!

Regards.

David.

I know a leisure centre manager whose trained & clued up on dosing swimming pools with chlorine, this is very common with lots of skin conditions but he reckons it might have more to do with the urine content. Nobody knows what chlorine smells like, it really is that deadly. When you enter the pool hall & get hit by that aroma . . . that's the gas given off by the reaction of chlorine with urine. The stronger the smell, the more urine

[David ColwillParticipant @davidcolwill19261]

I know a leisure centre manager whose trained & clued up on dosing swimming pools with chlorine, this is very common with lots of skin conditions but he reckons it might have more to do with the urine content. Nobody knows what chlorine smells like, it really is that deadly. When you enter the pool hall & get hit by that aroma . . . that's the gas given off by the reaction of chlorine with urine. The stronger the smell, the more urine

Hmmm, I'm reasonably sure that I didn't wee in the bath

So I think I'm going to continue to assume that it was the Miltons fluid that did the job

David.

[Neil WyattModerator @neilwyatt]

I came in from doing a bit of turning today with cutting oil on my paws.

I noticed a pan with some cold porridge in it in the sink so thought I would give it ago. Did a lovely job

Neil

P.S. Have you ever noticed how older men often have better skin than older women – I reckon it's because blokes don't insult their faces with cosmetics (Alice Cooper, Paul Stanley and anyone under 30 excepted…)

[vintagengineerParticipant @vintagengineer]

If mine get really dirty I use a mild solution of sodium hydroxide.

[Clive HartlandParticipant @clivehartland94829]

A lot of interesting detail there, in the instrument division clean hands are essential as acidic skin oils made metal and glass items corrode and made food for fungal attack on glass. I know that engineering means greasy hands and dirty hands but gloves can help. Remember some people have an acidic constitution, others are neutral.

In one case I had to let a bloke on probation go because he had sweaty hands and would drink 2 pints of ale during the dinner break and his fingers left marks on everything. This all meant re-cleaning and double the work.It seems the drinking made his skin acidic !

We could not use prophylactic hand cream as that too would affect the components. Frequent hand washing was the answer and in some cases the process provide that anyway.

Clive.

[Neil LickfoldParticipant @neillickfold44316]

A work mate once told me, the real competition , is not how fast you work, or how accurate you work, as with out those two, no one will employ you. The real competition is working and not getting dirty, Keep a rag handy to regularly wipe your hands and some paper towels handy to wipe down the machine tool handles etc. Then only use cold water for the hand washing. I always have clean hands apart from repairing old grungy things.

[Neil WyattModerator @neilwyatt]

Posted by vintagengineer on 03/06/2018 19:45:14:

If mine get really dirty I use a mild solution of sodium hydroxide.

Washing soda is safer, kinder and just as good.

[SillyOldDufferModerator @sillyoldduffer]

Posted by Neil Wyatt on 04/06/2018 12:50:59:

Posted by vintagengineer on 03/06/2018 19:45:14:

If mine get really dirty I use a mild solution of sodium hydroxide.

Washing soda is safer, kinder and just as good.

You boys are a pair of wimps. Boiling Aqua Regia dissolves absolutely everything in under 20 seconds. It's so good you'll never ever have to wash your hands again. Result!

Just don't get it in your eyes – it might sting a little…

Dave

[NigeParticipant @nige81730]

Lots of useful hand cleaning info but would anybody care to reccomend a barrier cream they find works well and available in the U.K. I don't suffer with skin conditions on my hands and would like to keep it that way particularly as I am just starting again with machining etc. I have used Orange Swarfega for a good while and am going to start wearing some sort of gloves. I remember from my Post Office Telephones days that we used a barrier cream in the workshop but that technology will have moved on in the last 40 odd years hence this request 😊

[Clive HartlandParticipant @clivehartland94829]

Aqua Regia is the only thing that will dissolve gold apart from Mercury. Both methods the gold can be recovered.

The story of the research Tech who did not want the Nazi's to get his gold dissolved it in Aqua Regia until after the war and then recovered it!

[Martin KyteParticipant @martinkyte99762]

I think that 'research tech' was Niels Bohr Clive and the gold was in the form of 2 Nobel Prize medals given to him for safe keeping belonging to Max von Loue and James Franke. As you say the gold was later recovered and the Nobel Foundation later recast the medals.

regards Martin

[Michael MallesonParticipant @michaelmalleson22793]

Try washing up liquid and some granulated sugar, works a treat !

Mike

[KWILParticipant @kwil]

Orange Swarfega now contains natural cornmeal, used to be micro polymer!

[BazyleParticipant @bazyle]

Posted by Neil Wyatt on 03/06/2018 18:37:55:

I noticed a pan with some cold porridge in it in the sink

Neil

Haven't you learned to do porridge in the microwave in the bowl you will eat it from? Zero waste.

[David Standing 1Participant @davidstanding1]

Posted by Bazyle on 11/06/2018 12:19:47:

Posted by Neil Wyatt on 03/06/2018 18:37:55:

I noticed a pan with some cold porridge in it in the sink

Neil

Haven't you learned to do porridge in the microwave in the bowl you will eat it from? Zero waste.

Real men use cookers, not microwaves

[David Standing 1Participant @davidstanding1]

Posted by Martin Kyte on 04/06/2018 13:54:23:

I think that 'research tech' was Niels Bohr Clive and the gold was in the form of 2 Nobel Prize medals given to him for safe keeping belonging to Max von Loue and James Franke. As you say the gold was later recovered and the Nobel Foundation later recast the medals.

regards Martin

It was George de Hevesy

**LINK**

[Mike PooleParticipant @mikepoole82104]

I worked with a chap who was always spotlessly turned out, his boiler suit seemed to be tailored in Savile Row and his shirt and tie were faultless and hair always neat. We had to replace a kiln element one day and he got covered in dust the same as me, when he returned to work after lunch he was one again immaculate. Another colleague would start the day freshly turned out but by the end of the day he would always be filthy.

Mike

[Trevor Crossman 1Participant @trevorcrossman1]

Posted by Nige on 04/06/2018 13:19:40:

Lots of useful hand cleaning info but would anybody care to reccomend a barrier cream they find works well and available in the U.K. I don't suffer with skin conditions on my hands and would like to keep it that way particularly as I am just starting again with machining etc. I have used Orange Swarfega for a good while and am going to start wearing some sort of gloves. I remember from my Post Office Telephones days that we used a barrier cream in the workshop but that technology will have moved on in the last 40 odd years hence this request 😊

Try this https://www.justgloves.co.uk/Hygiene-Infection-Control/Hand-Cleaning-Sanitising/Barrier-Creams-Moisturisers/Derma-Shield-Barrier-Cream.

Trevor.

[Fowlers FuryParticipant @fowlersfury]

It's not the hand cleaning that's a problem, it's how to avoid an a***e-kicking from SWMBO after I've machined cast iron and washed my hands in the (utility room) sink leaving numerous rust marks which the recommended baking soda treatment doesn't remove.
I've tried explaining that a utility sink is just that, but to no avail. Instead it is suggested that I use 'my own' plastic bowl & tip the water outside.
Needs must when the devil drives.

[Bob LambParticipant @boblamb44747]

I use Somersets Handguard which seems to do a pretty good job as a barrier cream. You can get it from the shop bit of their website – somersets.com. They also do a good shaving oil which I used to use but I became lazy and went back to an electric razor. Now there's a debate – electric or a real razor……….

[Author]

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