Removal Of Stain From Fingers - Help !

Having just completed the final coat of "Polycure Durapol 1045 Super Gloss" on a number of maple steps, I am now in "cleanup mode" and find that the tips of my fingers are still stained from the lacquer I have been using.

Yes, I now realise I should have adhered to the instructions and worn rubber gloves, but thought they would have made turning the steps over, a rather slippery exercise.

I thought most of the residue on my fingers would have dissolved as I worked the recommended solvent [3300 Super Cleaning Solvent] through the brush bristles, but not so. I then tried vigorous rubbing with a cloth dipped in the solvent, followed by more rubbing with Turps and as a last resort, tried the same with Acetone, none seemed to remove the stains. I then tried a number of soaps with a nailbrush, including Wonder soap, but still no luck!

Short of experimenting with some nasty chemicals, using my sander or walking around on my fingertips for the next 2 weeks, I'm fresh out of options. Anyone out there with a solution that may help?

Try a set of bolt cutters, or paint thinners or acetone

Normell

Gidday SoreHorse:)

I think basically you gotta let it wear off now....................Naughty naughty BUT don't worry I too have learn't to follow the instructions the hard way.

Last time I was cleaning up an adhesive & did the cleanup with a solvent. For some reason I read to instructions which stated that solvents will cause dangerous chemicals to leach in the skin...............Ouch!!!

Needless to say I always read and follow the instructions NOW.................I've come to learn that there their for good reason.

Not that this helps to much...........There are a few great websites around that give great advise on cleaning all sorts a stains spills n slip ups perhaps do a Google search and see whan you can come up with.

REgards lou:)

[QUOTE=Sorehorse]Having just completed the final coat of "Polycure Durapol 1045 Super Gloss" on a number of maple steps, I am now in "cleanup mode" and find that the tips of my fingers are still stained from the lacquer I have been using.

that was me i was up to my elbows in rosewood coloured stain and then estapol by fluke i was then washing floors in domestos ..... and discovered that it took the stain off instantly .... BUT i did make sure that i washed my hands with lots of hot soapy water after ...

hope that this helps

jules


yippeee the sun has come out for the first time in a week ...

[QUOTE=ele__13]

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Sorehorse

Having just completed the final coat of "Polycure Durapol 1045 Super Gloss" on a number of maple steps, I am now in "cleanup mode" and find that the tips of my fingers are still stained from the lacquer I have been using.

[size=4][color=Magenta] by fluke i was then washing floors in domestos ..... and discovered that it took the stain off instantly .... BUT i did make sure that i washed my hands with lots of hot soapy water after ...

hope that this helps

jules

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reckon the domestos is probably as harmful as the acetone/thinners

Industrial cleaners like Caustic and CB acid. Thats what I work with at work. Go in with heavily greased, stained hands with dirty fingernails,,,,,finish the shift with hands as pink, soft, and clean as a babys butt, minus a layer of skin.....oh, but very, very clean.

Out with the Pumice stone I reckon :o

That's my fall back solution every time :D

Jamie

Hi

I would suggest finding a abrasive hand cleaner. Don't use solvent based products because a)they degrease and dry your skin leading to rashes and skin cracking b) depending what it is you can get very ill c)the instructions saying wear gloves really are not just teir for fun :)

Try a cleaner with an abrasive content. My company is just about to launch a hand cleaner that has this type of technology in and we have found it will remove every sort of product we have tried including PU's that bond to skin rapidly. The added benefit is that it also has a moisturiser in so you actually feel human at the end of the day. i would tell you the name if we knew what we were going to call it, but the marketing dept still has not decided lol!

Try Napisan soap. Seems to work on most stains.
Baring that you could try sandpaper. :eek: ;)

There's some hand cleanser that I obtained from the dreaded Bunnies - it has pumice stone powder mixed into it, plus some moisturiser. It feels weird, but does seem to work.

I too have tried acetone (what a joy if you have a cut or two http://www.woodworkforums.ubeaut.com...ons/icon10.gif), but not, I admit, Domestos!

Mind you, there have been too many times to count when I've gone to work with weird colored fingershttp://www.woodworkforums.ubeaut.com...ons/icon11.gif

Apricotripper: do you grow a whole new epidermal layer every dayhttp://www.woodworkforums.ubeaut.com...ons/icon10.gif

Cheers!

I spent most of today dressing various rough-sawn boards and ended up with sap-stained fingers. Then finished off by staining a few small items which were overlooked this week.

I also learned that Jules is right and Domestos works quite nicely. Hell, I'll try anything once... :)

Oil (baby/vegetable/cooking) will remove paint and not the skin. Perhaps it might take off lacquer as well. It's the stuff that gets under and around the nails that is a bugger to remove. Soaking fingers in Domestos and water sounds as good as anything.

Next time - Beforehand rub in as much barrier cream or moisturiser as your hands will soak up and make sure you get some under/around your fingernails. Makes it a bit easier to get off afterwards.

Dont do any thing just let it wear off, I can only imagine how much damage you've done to your skin... learn from your mistakes, read the safety instructions and obey!
Pay to get some moisturiser on your hands for the next few days, help replace the oils been disolved.

You need to travel back in time to the Middle Ages and get arrested for treason. When they haul you down to the dungeons ask them if they could do you a big favour and strip the flesh off your hands.

Thanks Guys, for all you feedback, end result is that I have now removed about 75% of the "gunk" from my hands.

Earlier yesterday arvo, I re-tried turps and acetone with no success. I think brit-in-oz is spot on with his comment about not using solvents. I was a little concerned though about using domestos, particularly after reading the safety warning on the bottle, so gave that a miss [see, I've learned something already, "always read and follow the manufacturers instructions"!!]

Sensing I'd have to wait and let the last 2 days of built-up lacquer just eventually wear off, later in the day, I got on with my next painting project of final enamel coats on some louvre doors. After the "clean up" of that little exercise and subsequent hard rubbing with turps to remove the copies quantity of white enamel paint from all over my fingers [yes, the same fingers and I am a messy painter], I took heed of another comment and tried a pumice stone and that finally removed the bulk of the residue. It was only the pain of the red raw fingertips that stopped me from completing the job in one go with the pumice stone.

A couple of applications of hand cream has almost brought my fingers back to normal, and seems to have softened the remaining residue, which I am slowly scraping off. If I were ever inclined to commit a crime, now would be the perfect time, as I am sure my worn away fingers would not leave any fingerprints!!!


Moral of this epic, "Take heed of Manufacturer's instructions, particularly in regards to unfamliar substances" Thanks again for your many tips and ideas.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by normell

Try a set of bolt cutters, or paint thinners or acetone

Normell

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Maybe this is a little drastic.......belt sander with an 80 grit should have it off in about 20-25 minutes......soap and water with a green scratchy pad if you don't have 80 grit

Most things scrape of the fingernails with a sharp pair of nail scissors.
It is surprising what will come off with liberal application of a nice oily hand cream and a scrape with the fingernails.

Thinners shifts most things but just keep rubbin the hand cream in till it gets under the problem.
then scrub with a nail bris & soap & water.


cheers

Don't forget the nose... have a pick and whilst rolling it into a ball you're cleaning your fingers at the sametime.

Hooray, last of the "gunk" has now gone!! Gave the poor worn out fingertips a few extra applications of hand cream last night before going to bed and hey presto, just about all the remaining "gunk" was gone this morning! [Hmmmmmmmm!!!]

I think I tried just about everything suggested in the previous posts, seemed the more dramatic were the least successful [solvents etc] in removing the polyurethane [including the bolt cutters, which couldn't even cut through the stain!!], however felt a combination of:

1. Having the fingers covered in white enamel for a couple of hours [accidentally, though carelessness of course]

2. Use of a pumice stone with a little soap, [immediately after removing the white enamel with turps]
and
3. Applications of hand cream and subsequent scraping and picking off the "gunk"

all helped in the eventual [and painful] removal of the PU residue.

Only remaining task is what is still left under the fingernails, which I won't muck around any longer and simply attack it with my Dremel and the smallest sanding disc I can find!!!

Thanks for all your input.

TtHHEN jjUSHt Type wif yar ewlbows and NoSe Like I do!http://woodworkforums.ubeaut.com.au/...es/biggrin.gif