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[diffwhine]

^^^ Very much still available. best stuff on the market in my view.
https://www.hygienesuppliesdirect.com/reinol-original-powerful-industrial-cleansing-paste

[Noddy]

Still using a tub of motorcraft (Ford) hand cleaner wife bought cheap from a motor factors in their closing down sale several years ago. Basically a soft soap and wood powder mixture.

Alec 

[rustynuts]

I once read that clean engine oil works well, never tried it though.

I go for the prevention is better than cure philosophy, considering the medical evidence about how bad repeated exposure to oil is. I use fabric gloves with a nitrile palm coating (Maxiflex from Toolstation) which keep your hands clean and stop your knuckles getting grazed for general spanner work. For anything really dirty like oil changes and engine internals, I use high quality nitrile gloves from a lab equipment supplier. They are expensive but can be re-used and don't tear easily like the ones sold by motor factors and Toolstation.

[ZebraDriver]

One tip I can give is to use a small squeeze of washing up liquid on your hands, well rubbed in, prior to starting work. It stops the muck getting ingrained and will wash off with whatever hand cleaner you use afterwards. Obviously try this with care as some people may find that their skin doesn't take well to it.

When I was an apprentice the wash up sink had a saucer of sand there that was used along with the Swarfega that was provided, I don't know what effect this had on the drains though....

On the subject of dry cracked hands my ex-wife suffered badly from open 'hacks' on her skin during the winter months the only thing she ever found that helped was an Australian hand cream that contained macadamia nut oil, sadly we never managed to get any in the UK  and had to ask holidaying friends to find and bring some back when they visited.


Enjoy your day off from the workshop today

Martin

[landycyd]

Swarfega  from Toolstation the Classic Green and Orange depends on how grimy my hands are.

[Mr Ed]

When my son used diapers, I used flushable wipes several times
 and they worked well for me, they are available anywhere and easy to transport, they take up little space.

[Betsy1969]

I use German product " Reinol " .... same as the above one  ^^ 

anyway it is awesome and puts all the swarfegas to shame, lasts and last ..... bought my last few tubs before Brexit so cannot say about availability at the mo.

Will post a phot of the tub tomorrow.

I also use barrier cream -  Rozalex - have done for many decades now and well before gloves became available, when on the tools for a living it meant I could dine out after a hard days graft and nobody could tell me apart from any office worker so top stuff. Also good for keeping your skin safe from dermatitis etc.

I stand corrected Geoff , it is Reinol and yes it knocks the socks off swarfega

[diffwhine]

2 things work for me...
Doing the washing up after Christmas lunch and doing a hand wool wash. Hands come up spotless!

[Calum]

Another vote for Reinol. We use it at work (and we get some seriously dirty hands!) really good stuff indeed.

[Malcolm R]

I use the orange swarfega in 4L dispensing tubs. In 2 years of working on the Land rover I have used a out 6.5L of the stuff

[kingkay]

Can't beat Rozalex Zalpon Zorange Extra Heavy Duty Hand Cleaner from Toolstation.

Cheaper, works better and doesn't dry out your hands like Swarfega and it smells nicer too.

[AlexB]

Presumably none of the products mentioned above have plastic granules in nowadays ?

[Robin]

Presumably none of the products mentioned above have plastic granules in nowadays ?

I think Swarfega Orange did when it was first released (as most 'granular' hand cleansers would have, probably!), but apparently not now.

I thought plastic microbeads had been banned in the UK from 2018, but on reading up on it, they were only banned in 'cosmetics and personal care products' such as face scrubs, shower gels and toothpaste.

So, I suppose there might be some hand cleanser products which could still be using plastic microbeads legally - read the labels   

[Nanuq]

Over on this side of the pond we use orange GoJo hand cleaner with pumice.  It's loaded with oils from orange citrus and cuts grease like crazy.  And smells great!