noob wrenching question: what soap to use on hands?

[MattTuck]

Well, I thought I had covered this issue when I bought some nitrile gloves; but they seem to just make my hands sweaty, and I sometimes I forget to put them on.

So what soap do you guys use? My usual kitchen hand soap, dawn and shower soap seemed to require superhuman effort. What's standard operating protocol as far as soap to remove the crud from a bike. Preferably something that doesn't come in a huge tub.

[oldpotatoe]

Well, I thought I had covered this issue when I bought some nitrile gloves; but they seem to just make my hands sweaty, and I sometimes I forget to put them on.

So what soap do you guys use? My usual kitchen hand soap, dawn and shower soap seemed to require superhuman effort. What's standard operating protocol as far as soap to remove the crud from a bike. Preferably something that doesn't come in a huge tub.

Stuff that wrenches use, meaning they use a lot, usually comes in a big tub..used this in the shop, never seen any better

http://www.prosoap.com/

[David Tollefson]

Liquid laundry detergent (we use the Costco Pure stuff). I've found it takes all the bike grime off so much easier than anything else.

[sales guy]

Stuff that wrenches use, meaning they use a lot, usually comes in a big tub..used this in the shop, never seen any better

http://www.prosoap.com/


Please tell me you had an Dyson airblade in the facility also??? Lol. Never knew where to buy one, but now I do.

[oldpotatoe]

Please tell me you had an Dyson airblade in the facility also??? Lol. Never knew where to buy one, but now I do.

???

[dave thompson]

Dawn dish detergent and a good fingernail brush.

[tmf]

???

A Dyson airblade is one of the high power hand dryers seen in some restrooms.

I use liquid dishwashing detergent for minor greasy hands. When I need more, I use the detergent and a bar of Lava soap - and I have a small fingernail brush (1"x2") that I use to help scrub. That cleans up almost anything (except for rim cement).

[AngryScientist]

been using orange gojo for years, and i'm a long time working on cars guy.

http://www.gojo-skilcraft.com/images/product/gojo_halfgallon.jpg

[bart998]

http://cdn.mscdirect.com/global/images/ProductImages/0028153-23.jpg

Waterless and cut grease like nothing else.

[sg8357]

Phil's hand cleaner beats even Pot Scrubber Dawn for hand cleaning.
Lava bar soap is almost as good as Phil's.

Dawn is good in the Park Chain cleaning gadget.

[billium]

been using orange gojo for years, and i'm a long time working on cars guy.

http://www.gojo-skilcraft.com/images/product/gojo_halfgallon.jpg



^ This. Works every time.

[ceolwulf]

I use Fast Orange, it's pretty much magic. Probably much the same as Gojo. You can get it at Home Depot.

[merckx]

I use vegetable oil. Pour a small pool into your palm, rub hands together then wipe with a paper towel.

[Likes2ridefar]

or ditch the soap all together and wear gloves

my preference (because I borrow them from work):

http://www.amazon.com/Aloetouch-Ice-Nitrile-Gloves-Size/dp/B004E3I3RQ/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1389622536&sr=8-2&keywords=aloetouch+nitrile

they also act as a waterproof vapor barrier and can extend the comfort range of your gloves in a pinch if you get stuck in nasty weather, and are great to have on the road for flat changes

[ultraman6970]

Gojo works, but i always forget to guy it :)

nitrile gloves is the way to go IMO.

[oldpotatoe]

A Dyson airblade is one of the high power hand dryers seen in some restrooms.

I use liquid dishwashing detergent for minor greasy hands. When I need more, I use the detergent and a bar of Lava soap - and I have a small fingernail brush (1"x2") that I use to help scrub. That cleans up almost anything (except for rim cement).

Ohh, I use

[summilux]

nitrile gloves is the way to go IMO.

^^ Save your skin and never have to clean the grease from under your fingernails again.

[oldpotatoe]

Gojo works, but i always forget to guy it :)

nitrile gloves is the way to go IMO.

nancy

[witcombusa]

nancy

and then some

kids today.... :no:

[ColonelJLloyd]

I use Gojo myself.

[sales guy]

???


The people that sell that soap you posted also sell the Dyson airblade. I was curious if you had one at the shop?

They are stupidly cool and way too loud.

[Kirk Pacenti]

I hate working with gloves on.

If you rub a few drops of liquid dish soap into your hands before starting work, it creates a film that you can't feel and won't allow grease to stick. Rinse with warm water and a little more soap and everything comes right off with very little effort.

Cheers,
KP

[bcroslin]

+1 for Gojo. You can buy a gigantic pump handle of it at Costco.

[Steve in SLO]

I hate working with gloves on.

If you rub a few drops of liquid dish soap into your hands before starting work, it creates a film that you can't feel and won't allow grease to stick. Rinse with warm water and a little more soap and everything comes right off with very little effort.

Cheers,
KP
Hi do this while using waterless hand cleaner. I make sure and shove it up underneath my nails so that no grease can get stuck there. Very easy to clean up afterwards.

[c-record]

Prosoap is by far the better option to the orange Gojos etc.

[cachagua]

None o' y'all like Boraxo? Nothing you can't do with that stuff. Brush your teeth with it in a pinch.

But all seriousness aside, putting a little liquid soap on before wrenching is great. Haven't tried changing a flat with gloves. . . might have to throw a pair in with a tube and try it.

[VA-Scooter]

As somebody else said -- Just dig your fingernails into any bar of soap. Anything else should just wash off.

[NRV]

+1 for Gojo

[bfd]

One more option - Phil Wood Hand Cleaner! Rivendell sells it and they claim its the best hand cleaner on the market:

http://www.rivbike.com/product-p/goo10.htm

Personally, I find the gojo stuff to work well! Good Luck! :banana::eek::butt::bike:

[deechee]

I guess the gojo is the same thing as the Canadian tire hand cleaner (http://www.canadiantire.ca/en/pdp/motomaster-174-pumice-lotion-hand-cleaner-0381017p.html#.UtQmdLRuSHQ). Make sure to get the orange scented one. The non-scented smells horrible.

[Birddog]

Joe's is the bomb, best I've used by far. beats GoJo and Orange IMO.
http://www.oreillyauto.com/site/c/detail/JOE0/105/N0017.oap?ck=Search_N0017_1387177_-1&pt=N0017&ppt=C1942

[SpokeValley]

The people that sell that soap you posted also sell the Dyson airblade. I was curious if you had one at the shop?

They are stupidly cool and way too loud.

And, they blow the water and whatever else all over the place.

[josephr]

not a shop tech, just an enthusiast in the basement...I've got a small thing of gojo orange from Lowe's and it lasts me about a year. If really bad or have to go somewhere, I'll use a scrubbie and then use some lotion.

Forget Dyson -- Try the Oscar Meyer!

[LegendRider]

Drifting off-topic, but is there any research to suggest that prolonged exposure to grease/oil on your skin leads to cancer?

[moose8]

In a pinch a little pat of butter is great at getting stubborn grease off your hands. It works on sap really well too. If you have a dog it will try to lick your hands afterwards though.

[primov8]

been using orange gojo for years, and i'm a long time working on cars guy.
http://www.gojo-skilcraft.com/images/product/gojo_halfgallon.jpg

Another vote for this. Its good enough to clean and remove automotive and marine greases, oils, etc.,

[pinkshogun]

ive been using loose fitting exam gloves for years. perhaps not as good to work with as tight fitting but perhaps less sweating to the hands

[umami]

That Phil's soap looks suspiciously like this stuff: http://www.amazon.com/Super-Soap-1-lb-Tub/dp/B003COAYVG/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1389653772&sr=8-1&keywords=super+soap

The citrus stuff is too hard on my skin for regular use, and the non-citrus goop/gojo smell pretty awful. Super Soap hardly smells, works really well, and leaves your hands feeling clean and slightly moisturized.

[bluesea]

Dawn dish detergent and a good fingernail brush.


This. But I use it with a green pad.

The greAsy mechanic stuff is good for in between (phone calls etc).

[bikinchris]

I use vegetable oil. Pour a small pool into your palm, rub hands together then wipe with a paper towel.

Alternately, if you can't or won't get professional hand soap, use hand cream to soften the grease, then wash them both off with normal softsoap.

Like dissolves like.

[Tandem Rider]

I use Scrubs after working on anything greasy or nasty. They come in a bucket about the size of a gallon, some kind of papery sheets. They are rough on one side and soft on the other, and have a citrus smell. I use these first and then hand soap afterwards. I keep a bucket in each vehicle as well, they will even remove tar from upholstery and bike chain grease from carpet if you work at it for a few minutes.

[Louis]

Most of the time dish-soap works fine for me. When my hands are super-filthy I use Goop or GoJo. I'd buy one of the "orange" ones - they usually don't smell as bad as the plain. Also, you probably don't need one with pumice.

Edit: I've never bothered with gloves. If you're worried about drying out your skin, just use some lotion after you've washed up.

[Rekalcitrant]

I got nothing new to add about soap, but this is a funny thread so far.

[Louis]

Funny how?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r_DwZfyXAXI

[Mike Bryant]

If I know I'm going to get really greasy dirty, I take Dawn dishwashing soap and rub it on my clean hands until it dries up. Then go to work. The soap is in the folds and creases in the skin, underneath the grease and gunk. Hands will clean right up.

[p nut]

Dish detergent and table salt. Just pour a little mound in your hand, add detergent and scrub away.

[oldpotatoe]

The people that sell that soap you posted also sell the Dyson airblade. I was curious if you had one at the shop?

They are stupidly cool and way too loud.

Really, didn't know that. No, just rags.

[seanile]

this stuff is the best, and lasts forever.
http://www.momsgoop.com/assets/momsgoop/catalog/lg/197/14oz-can_16204.jpg

[downtube]

I use Fast Orange, it's pretty much magic. Probably much the same as Gojo. You can get it at Home Depot.

Yep, Fast Orange or Dawn dish soap always works for me. I guess you could rock it old school and try Lava hand soap, I started using Lava back in the 60's.
chuck

http://www.theimaginaryworld.com/cormatt10.jpg

[DerekB]

I use a mix of dish soap and spent coffee grounds. The coffee helps scrub the grease off and smells very nice!

[Kingfisher]

irish spring

[Kirk Pacenti]

For those who want to purchase a purpose-built solution, I used this stuff for a while, 20 years ago and it works great. I came to the conclusion liquid dish soap works just as well.

http://kk.org/cooltools/archives/4071

Cheers,
KP

[eippo1]

I use soap made with a high content of pig fat. The greasy fat gets rid of the bike grease. Similar idea to those using veg oil and butter.


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[madcow]

I have to agree with some of the others, the prosoap is the only way to go. I know it's just soap and they should all work pretty well but after 20 years of doing this I've still never found anything that compares to it.

[p nut]

I use soap made with a high content of pig fat. The greasy fat gets rid of the bike grease. Similar idea to those using veg oil and butter.

So clean with bacon fat? I like it.