How to remove wood tannins from hands??

[Nathan Hawkes]

Well, I didn't take pics of my hands, but after turning a lot of cherry yesterday and the day before, my hands are a shade of dark purple-black, and it won't come off with anything I've tried so far. I really don't want to use mineral spirits on my hands unless absolutely necessary. I've tried.....dishwashing detergent, lava soap, dial, and had marginal success with an old brillo pad just scrubbing the top few layers of skin off. I used a bit of wax furniture restore/polish to get off varnish--works great, but I can't get off the black, which seems to have an affinity towards the cuticle, undersides of fingernails, and callouses. I work in a hospital, and don't really like having to explain, "its just wood tannins, my hands are clean"....

I've heard that oxalic acid works, but after looking it up, the manufacturers all say, avoid contact with skin. So, what I need are suggestions. I can't work very well in leather gloves, and the black fabric ones I have for wintertime use also leach black dye when my hands sweat in the heat (no a/c in shed).


Help, please!

[Reed Gray]

Concentrated lemon juice works for the stains left by black walnut and oak. It also removes metal stains from wood. Never had stains from cherry though.
robo hippy

[Nathan Hawkes]

Thanks Reed. I forgot that I turned a couple handles out of walnut yesterday. I actually wore vinyl gloves for that, but I get the stains from wet cherry pretty frequently. Usually, they aren't as dark, but this is pretty red wood from the root ball. SCORE!! Pics to follow as pieces are finished...

[Jim Underwood]

Seems I heard that vinegar would work. I tried it the other day after I cut so much Sweet Gum that the chips coming off the gouge had eaten the skin off my pinky finger. I had that purple black all over my hands, and the vinegar didn't do much for me except stink up the kitchen.

I'll have to try the lemon juice...

[Tom Klass]

GOJO with pumis should take it out. When I worked at a pharmacutical co. we would use the hand lotions we made to take the grease stains off our hands, some times the deep heat type of rubs worked too. Just make sure you really wash your hands with regular soup and water real well before you touch anything else on yourself!!!!
Tom

[robert hainstock]

Let us know if it works.:eek::eek::eek:
Bob

[Dave Peck]

Lemon juice does a good job on walnut stain. It's worth a try.

Dave

[Jim King]

Use pure laundry bleach, it take about 30 seconds. Still have Purex and Hilex up there ?

[Nathan Hawkes]

Thanks for all the replies, folks. I'm unfamiliar with Purex and Hilex but I'll look for them. As for the bleach, I might just have to give it a try. It makes my hands pretty dry & chapped though. Also, I usually have a few little nicks on my hands, and bleach is VERY painful in a cut--just like rubbing alcohol. PVC primer is the worst. Don't ask me why I know that.