Waterless Hand Cleaners for Shop Grubby Paws

Looking for advice on waterless hand cleaners for workshop use. No sink or water in the shop and getting tired of trotting 30 yards back to to the house every time I want to use the shop computer, modify drawings or handle bits that I really want to keep clean. Also getting tired of cleaning up finger-marks after a good hand wipe didn't actually get the paws clean enough!

Seem to be loads to choose from but which variety is best for oily and similar shop mess without ripping skin apart if used on a regular basis. Have to be a bit careful of my skin. For example I can no longer use green Swarfega.

How about the impregnated towel thingies, Scrubs et al. Seem to work out more expensive per clean-up but presumably no need to use a wipe or two afterwards. Blue roll, centre pull stacks and so on are getting expensive from the usual sources so do need to be priced in if required. Are there any cheaper alternatives for those too?

Clive.

Ah Swarfega - always added a certain piquancy to a cheese sandwich I recall!

Norman

I use red Swarfega, bought a tub from Mach. Mart ...usual disclaimer. plus some of those wet wipes, centre pull tub

​George.

or you could try the alternative route of wearing gloves. I like the nitrile disposable ones . I usually get a couple of days use out of a pair before they rip. Some talcum powder on the hands usually helps when refitting them. You can pick up a box from one of the stalls at the shows.

Don't get the cheaper latex type. I find they wrap themselves round the lathe handles in use!

I carry a tub of wonder wipes in the van, but they come in different flavours, you want the ones with a rough texture. Get mine from the merchants but think Screwfix etc sell em. Brilliant for cleaning mucky daubs.

Kimberly Clark Wypall are very effective. Good for all sorts of cleaning jobs.

Mike

Use Warrior soft touch, powder free Nitrile gloves 90% of time when in workshop or working on bikes. Sourced from industrial stockist 1 mile from me.

No gloves when extra feel is needed, then Swarfega plus large two ply rolls of blue paper to wipe off. Good enough till full indoor wash.

Edited By MalcB on 25/02/2017 14:40:52

Baby Wipes and Swarfega. Set three small piles of baby wipes ready for use, "wash" hands with swarfega, then use the baby wipes, by the third pile hands should be clean. Works for me when customer locks up before I can get washed after a job.

Martin C

Thanks for the advice. Looks like trade variety of impregnated wipes are the thing to try. Baby wipes didn't always do it for me.

Unless they have changed the composition of Swarfega I don't dare use it. About 4 or 5 washes in a week and my skin splits over the knuckles, was fine for the first 20 odd years I used it but not now.

I have a roll of one of the Wypall products which, again isn't always enough.

Never could get the glove habit. I'm impressed by folks who can tho'.

Clive

Why not set up a 10litre water container with a tap? Put it by the door, and use whatever handcleaner you use indoors.

I'm with Martin,baby wipes from the supermarket and I only use the wipes no swarfiga.I also wear vinyl gloves as they don't stick when using the feed handles as mine don't rotate.Gloves other than the medical sort are areal hazard and should not be used around machinery.

Frank

I would be surprised if these wipes do not do it for you, they turned my black jeans grey when I had to remove some black adhesive from them, normal workshop dirt is no problem, probably not for anyone with a sensitive skin though.

Mike