removing sikaflex from skin

[drjim]

I did this with expanding foam many years ago when I was working in orthopaedics, couldn't get the stuff off even with multiple full blown surgical scrub hand washes. My boss decided it was sterile after all the scrubbing and I donned my double gloves (wear 2 pairs for joint replacements in case one get punctured). At the end of the op the gloves were full of black bits and my hands were pink.

I use the glove technique every time I do something with sealants - gloves never seem to stop it getting on your hands, but wearing gloves for an hour or so after does the trick once the big lumps have been removed. Sweaty hands clean themselves!

 

[More Amps]

At the last house I removed half a dozen Leylandii (Sp?) that had been allowed to reach 40 ft. The felling was simple enough, but splitting and handling the evil stuff left my hands coated in sap that resisted all efforts at removal - until in desperation I tried neat bleach. This loosened it enough, that when followed by neat washing up liquid and heavy scrubbing, i was able to remove the vast majority. i can't say it did my skin any favours, but the alternative was having hands that just wanted to stick to everything!

 

[BrokenBiker]

Occupational hazard.

my fathers new nickname

 

[Kram]

Veg oil can remove some stuff. Or a good soak in water, tell him to have a bath!

Or to speed it up, tell him to get a "foot callus grinder" which will wear off the outer dead skin layers - which are the ones that absorb most of the dye.

Or the chemical callus skin peel stuff, put hand/foot in in for 10 minutes, the outer skin then loosens and comes off. Leaves them a bit sensitive I believe, best wear gloves for any futher diy.

 

[BrokenBiker]

Veg oil can remove some stuff. Or a good soak in water, tell him to have a bath!

Or to speed it up, tell him to get a "foot callus grinder" which will wear off the outer dead skin layers - which are the ones that absorb most of the dye.

Or the chemical callus skin peel stuff, put hand/foot in in for 10 minutes, the outer skin then loosens and comes off. Leaves them a bit sensitive I believe, best wear gloves for any futher diy.

he is soaking his hand in soapy water now...i did suggest a cheese grater but he wasnt fond of that idea.

ive done thos echemical peel things on my feet, wouldnt reccomend...looked like a horror movie for about 2 weeks, skin coming off everywhere, inside of my socks looked like an abbatoir after a day in boots

 

[MetalMonkey]

2k thinners, in my experience, will clean the most of it off, but only until it sets. Not sure how healthy that is though, best not think about that too much. Once it has started to get dry, it's pretty much wait for it to come off as the skin sheds.

I've made some big messes with the stuff before, but not to the extent I mistook it for playdough....

 

[jimbo84]

Probably won’t work for this because what already has been tried hasn’t but orange juice is good at removing some stuff.

 

[doubleboost]

Time is the only way try a pumice stone and washing up liquid

 

[sg66]

Very abrasive scrubbers, remove a couple of layers of skin then keep working till it's worn off, couple of weeks should do.

 

[BrokenBiker]

Well...he sort of took the pumice stone advice...but in his own way...he has spent god knows how long scrubbing his hand with a brillo pad soaked in the celly thinners I gave him...

Progress has been made, but I think that's about as far as it's going for now

 

[jimbo84]

Well...he sort of took the pumice stone advice...but in his own way...he has spent god knows how long scrubbing his hand with a brillo pad soaked in the celly thinners I gave him...

Progress has been made, but I think that's about as far as it's going for now View attachment 531699

Considering how it looked before that’s good going.

 

[BrokenBiker]

Considering how it looked before that’s good going.

It is better than it was, but the thinners aren't agreeing with the skin...it's lost a bit of elasticity and from the photo it's hard to tell, but there are white patches that are very clingy filmy to the touch...he is going to leave it at that for now, see what the skin is like in the morning, get some moisture back into it and then just wait for the rest to wash over time I think

 

[jimbo84]

It is better than it was, but the thinners aren't agreeing with the skin...it's lost a bit of elasticity and from the photo it's hard to tell, but there are white patches that are very clingy filmy to the touch...he is going to leave it at that for now, see what the skin is like in the morning, get some moisture back into it and then just wait for the rest to wash over time I think

I have very dry cracked hands anyway, particularly bad in the winter but if I get white spirit or thinners on them they go extra dry and the skin turns white, it’s a bit weird, think it must strip the natural oils out of the skin.

Might be worth putting some moisturiser on them, then like other members have suggested, wearing some latex gloves for a while or overnight. Might solve both problems in one.

 

[badabec]

I'm sure I saw him in A&E last week

 

[jimbo84]

I'm sure I saw him in A&E last week

View attachment 531700

The TV shampoo ads are always going on about extra fill and volume.

 

[bricol]

Expanding foam - don't try rubbing, wiping it off. Let it cure enough to go solidish - simply peels/lifts off.

This of course only works if you've finished and can take the time to let it.

 

[Wallace]

Brake cleaner worked for me with Sikaflex and Tiger Seal.
Alternatively let him do the washing up by hand for a couple of days/weeks with mild green hairy lip squid.

 

[premmington]

I did this with expanding foam many years ago when I was working in orthopaedics, couldn't get the stuff off even with multiple full blown surgical scrub hand washes. My boss decided it was sterile after all the scrubbing and I donned my double gloves (wear 2 pairs for joint replacements in case one get punctured). At the end of the op the gloves were full of black bits and my hands were pink.

I use the glove technique every time I do something with sealants - gloves never seem to stop it getting on your hands, but wearing gloves for an hour or so after does the trick once the big lumps have been removed. Sweaty hands clean themselves!

I have done this before... Tigerseal and windscreen sealant...

I opted for the same method as you in the end...

I just went to bed with hand cream on and glove over it - woke up in the morning washed my hands in hot water and soap and "most of it was gone".

Be honest - if I get really cracked dry/split hands in the winter at work - I will slar on O'Keefes working hands cream and go to bed in disposable gloves.
Been experimenting with "dry hand washing" this winter - bottle of baby lotion or baby oil and rub it into hands and then wipe off with a clean rag - this not good enough for toilet trips or food prep/eating. But it does cut down the times in a day you use detergent and hot water on your hands.

I never use hot water to wash my hands - I always rinse in cold water for a long while...

 

[Wallace]

O'Keefes is Rover Gonads.

 

[mcostello]

Over here a good fried chicken supper seems to work well.