How To Clean Mechanic Nails

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I did some car work and then cleaned up a bunch of bikes over the last week, and now my fingernails are black with grime, and I can't clean this sh!t off.

My fingernails are already trimmed very short, but the grime still gets underneath them. Regular soap doesn't help.

How do you keep your hands clean?

Get some of that mechanics hand cleaner and use it before getting dirty - it makes cleaning up later much easier. Then use it afterword with a stiff toothbrush to get it out from under your nails.

Orange goop and a nail srubbing brush. That gets it every time.

or you can go my route and work as a dishboy at a resturant. All that soap takes it off

Fast Orange with pumice works wonders. Scrub for a while, work it under your fingernails, then rinse it off. Repeat as needed.

Alternatively, you can wash your hands in gasoline. It works...but it's HARSH on your skin, and I wouldn't do it

i have gojo in the basement at home where i wash after working on my car(s), i use pads my mother got me from the hosptal, or anything with brissels will work for ya

Fast ORange with pumice, it feel funny at first, but it really lifts stuff up. The bottle i bought also came with a nail brush so I use that.

Motomaster hand cleaner. It doesn't get all the grime under the nail, but a toothpick should fix that.

Advice for future use: Use surgical gloves (get them at a pharmacy) or mechanic's gloves (such as Mechanix). No more grime under your fingernails!

If I don't have gloves, I like Lava Soap.

Fast Orange + Toothbrush for under nails.

Originally posted by: DingDingDao
Advice for future use: Use surgical gloves (get them at a pharmacy) or mechanic's gloves (such as Mechanix). No more grime under your fingernails!
If I don't have gloves, I like Lava Soap.

I used to wear those gloves every day and they can be a real pain in the ass. They rip so easily (espcially when doing brake jobs) and then you've got a worthless glove and one dirty finger.

Originally posted by: LoKe

Originally posted by: DingDingDao
Advice for future use: Use surgical gloves (get them at a pharmacy) or mechanic's gloves (such as Mechanix). No more grime under your fingernails!
If I don't have gloves, I like Lava Soap.

I used to wear those gloves every day and they can be a real pain in the ass. They rip so easily (espcially when doing brake jobs) and then you've got a worthless glove and one dirty finger.

LOL, I know what you mean. That's why I switched to using Mechanix gloves. You lose dexterity at first, but you get used to using them, and they're great at protecting your hands against minor cuts and scrapes.

Originally posted by: LoKe

Originally posted by: DingDingDao
Advice for future use: Use surgical gloves (get them at a pharmacy) or mechanic's gloves (such as Mechanix). No more grime under your fingernails!
If I don't have gloves, I like Lava Soap.

I used to wear those gloves every day and they can be a real pain in the ass. They rip so easily (espcially when doing brake jobs) and then you've got a worthless glove and one dirty finger.

cleaning one dirty finger is easier than cleaning 10 dirty fingers. when it rips, put on another...simple as rocket science.

Originally posted by: Maximus96
latex gloves FTW.

:thumbsup:

: Feb 26, 2006

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Originally posted by: LoKe

Originally posted by: DingDingDao
Advice for future use: Use surgical gloves (get them at a pharmacy) or mechanic's gloves (such as Mechanix). No more grime under your fingernails!
If I don't have gloves, I like Lava Soap.

I used to wear those gloves every day and they can be a real pain in the ass. They rip so easily (espcially when doing brake jobs) and then you've got a worthless glove and one dirty finger.

No kidding. I have large hands, so finding them to fit is difficult too.

Any of the citrus hand cleaners should do a good job, and a stiff brush works well for getting most of it out from under your nails.

Originally posted by: DingDingDao

Originally posted by: LoKe

Originally posted by: DingDingDao
Advice for future use: Use surgical gloves (get them at a pharmacy) or mechanic's gloves (such as Mechanix). No more grime under your fingernails!
If I don't have gloves, I like Lava Soap.

I used to wear those gloves every day and they can be a real pain in the ass. They rip so easily (espcially when doing brake jobs) and then you've got a worthless glove and one dirty finger.

LOL, I know what you mean. That's why I switched to using Mechanix gloves. You lose dexterity at first, but you get used to using them, and they're great at protecting your hands against minor cuts and scrapes.

i bought a pair of craftsman mechanics gloves. i used it a few times but the gloves gets real dirty real fast. much easier with latex since you can just peel off and throw away. i hated washing the mech. gloves.

: Jun 13, 2000

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Fast orange. If you run out, you can always pour sugar in your hands and mix it with Dawn. The Dawn cuts the grease and the sugar is abrasive enough to help clean, but you must act fast before the sugar dissolves....

Eli

Super Moderator | Elite Member

For under fingernails, Lava soap and an old toothbrush FTW!

Originally posted by: jagec
Fast Orange with pumice works wonders. Scrub for a while, work it under your fingernails, then rinse it off. Repeat as needed.
Alternatively, you can wash your hands in gasoline. It works...but it's HARSH on your skin, and I wouldn't do it

Gasoline contains Benzene, a known carcinogen.

I use a scrub brush like doctors use to wash up before surgeries, and dish washing soap to cut the grease.

Isn't there something mechanics use to coat their hands before they get them dirty?

: Nov 13, 2001

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I have tried them all and the only thing that really works for me and I cant even believe it is my wifes Bath and Body works Cherry Blosson hand soap. I use just a little bit and it is unbelievable (unbelieveable I say) on how well it works to get off all kinds of grease and oil incluiding motor oil and wheel berring grease. Takes the stuff right off the hands like it was magic

To get the stuff out from under your nails though take a shower and scrub the heck out of your hair and next thing you know its all gone.

: Dec 28, 2004

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Cut it off and hope it grows back.

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