Favorite hand cleaner

[daddo]

By accident I fell upon this and improved it some.  It gets the grease and dirt easily- even the mill scale from metals.
 I wash my hands a lot especially when finishing and handling a final product to keep oils and dirt off a prepared surface.


  The one gallon jug of Gain clothes washing detergent was almost empty so I thought why not use the remainder that's hard to get out of the jug and use it for hand cleaning? I added some water, a tablespoon of dish washing liquid and a 1/4 oz of bleach. It became my favorite in the shop after I found the right mixture.  Been using this for two years now.

 In a gallon, I use one cup of gain HE liquid clothes washing detergent, three tablespoons dish washing liquid (dawn) and one tablespoon bleach.  You'll need water to rinse. I do have a large sink in the shop- some of you don't.

 The gallon jug has a built in spout valve which makes it easy.

[Steve N]

For getting the junk off my hands I start with a bar of Lava. if that doesn't get it I've never needed to go further than some Gojo. I use Bag Balm to keep them from cracking up, especially around my nails. Wood and Winter = dry cracked hands for me. Bag balm keeps em soft, so LOML doesn't give me the evil eye.

[AHill]

I would recommend you skip the bleach.   Contact with ammonia or some other cleaning agents can generate chlorine gas, which isn't very kind to humans.  

I use Gojo with the pumice mixed in it.  If I'm sharpening, I've found Barbasol foam shaving cream works deep in the cracks to get the swarf out.

[Herb G]

Goop. Works every time.
Boraxo if it's grimy & greasy.

[MichaelMouse]

Dawn dishwashing detergent.  Pour in palm, distribute and rub, use the fingernail brush to help mechanically where necessary.  We even gave up the Goop at the jail in favor of the cheaper bulk product.  Worked well on fingerprint ink.

Rinse.  Seldom need to repeat, unless SWMBO points out a missed spot.

[Cooler]

Dawn dishwashing detergent.  Pour in palm, distribute and rub, use the fingernail brush to help mechanically where necessary.  We even gave up the Goop at the jail in favor of the cheaper bulk product.  Worked well on fingerprint ink.

Rinse.  Seldom need to repeat, unless SWMBO points out a missed spot.

I second the dish washing liquid detergent (for hand washing, not machine detergent).  But I can only use it in the warmer months.  In the winder my hands get dried out and the skin cracks.  Then I use Cetaphil.

Cetaphil used to include directions for use but someone in marketing thought special directions worked against sales.  If you don't follow the directions it does not work at all.

Cetaphil does not "wash away" dirt.  You apply it like lotion and rub it into the pores of your skin.  The Cetaphil binds to the dirt and then you rinse it off.  The more deeply you rub it into the pores the cleaner your hands get.  It does not strip away any of the oils on your hands so it you get dried, chapped hands then it is a good choice.  

Latex or nitrile gloves are a even better choice for keeping hands clean.

[dav]

I would recommend you skip the bleach.   Contact with ammonia or some other cleaning agents can generate chlorine gas, which isn't very kind to humans.  

I use Gojo with the pumice mixed in it.  If I'm sharpening, I've found Barbasol foam shaving cream works deep in the cracks to get the swarf out.

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Agreed. Definitely skip the bleach. It will do bad things to organics like skin... especially when used long term.
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[GSENT]

I get hand cleaner salesmen all the time claiming theirs is best.
I usually get some never-sieze and put it on the salesman's hands.  If his hand cleaner will remove it, I buy it.  So far, the only hand cleaner that I buy is made by Zep Manufacturing.

[MichaelMouse]

Get the kind with the "Marge" effect for hand softening.  Glycerol (glycerine) is used in many places as an humectant.

For instance: http://www.bettymills.com/product/MSDS/80641500.pdf

[MountainWood]

Zep Manufacturing.

Zep makes some great products.