How to clean your hands from foam

For cleaning hands from contamination with foam, the area of ​​contact of the foam with the skin is of fundamental importance. The larger the stain, the more difficult it is to clean. Even more important is the degree of polymerization (solidification) of the material. If possible, foam must be removed immediately. Already after 10-15 minutes to do this is much more difficult. More old residues on the skin of the hands are not easy to remove.

Special fluids and aerosols

Foam manufacturers also produce special washes. Most of them are designed for cleaning pistols and smooth work surfaces (window sills, door and window frames, doors). Hand cleaning fluids are not released, as solidified polyurethane is irreversible. It can be softened only with fairly aggressive solvents, the contact of which with human skin is undesirable.

But, if skin contamination has already occurred, many builders resort to standard fluids and aerosols, hoping to clean their hands without harming their health.

The released substances are designed only for cleaning from fresh foam:

1. IOFARM R621. Aerosol for cleaning tools, dirty surfaces, hands. The main active ingredient is acetone. Applicable only to remove fresh contaminants.
2. PENOSIL Foam Cleaner. Spray for cleaning with fresh, non-hardened foam. It can be used to remove stains from plastics (leaves no residue).
3. OPPA. Aerosol removal of uncured fragments. It is also used for cleaning and degreasing plastic and glass surfaces.
4. PENOSIL Premium Cured PU-Foam Remover. Cured foam remover. Aerosol. Not effective on adhesive (well-absorbing, porous) surfaces.
5. Cosmofen S5. Means for polishing plastic. Cleans fresh foam. The main purpose is to remove defects and scratches from opaque vinyl (PVC) surfaces.

Very few special solvents are needed to clean hands. Therefore, when choosing a liquid or aerosol, their additional capabilities matter so that the purchased spray can be fully claimed.

Universal solvents

If at the time of contamination there were no special fluids, common, standard solvents are used:

1. Acetone and acetone-containing liquids (composite solvent 646, nail polish remover). In small quantities, they are not so toxic, since acetone is a product of natural metabolism, is present in the body.
2. White Spirit. Not very effective. However, better than using soap and water.
3. Solvent 647. Acetate and toluene multicomponent liquid. Toxic

In order to avoid complications from skin contact with aggressive fluids (for chronic allergies), it is possible to use heated vegetable oil. This substance is not so effective. But not without side effects, environmentally friendly.

How to clean your hands from fresh foam

Not having time to harden (polymerize) the foam is washed off quite easily. The main thing is to follow simple rules:

1. Locate the stain. Wipe off pollution with napkins, toilet paper or soft rags. Movement must be directed to the center of the spot so that it decreases rather than increases.
2. Solvents. Aerosol washes are sprayed from a distance of 10-15 cm on the soiled areas. If the stain is small, you can spray the substance not on pollution, but on a rag, which can be cleaned from a distance of 1-2 cm.
3. Removal of solvents. At the end of hand cleaning, they are washed with soap in hot running water.

Fresh foam is washed quite easily. However, it is not always possible to interrupt work for hand care. In this case, you have to deal with the problem of cleaning up old stains.

What to do if the foam has time to freeze in your hands

It is impossible to remove well-dried foam with ordinary solvents and washes. There are special compositions of substances. But practice shows that they are not effective:

• Pollution practically does not change its properties.
• Solvents are toxic, badly affect the skin of the hands and, absorbed into the pores, on the liver and the cardiovascular system of the body.

For example, PU REMOVER is a paste cleaner from hardened foam. The substance is really capable of softening dried polyurethane foam, but, as stated in the manufacturer's instructions, it is applicable only on smooth, non-porous surfaces. It has proven itself on metals, glass, but not productively on hand.

Procedure for removing dried foam

The easiest way to clean the old pollution from the mounting foam is a natural change of the epithelium: the upper layers of the skin periodically change, peel off. Together with them, "persistent" pollution "depart". The process lasts from several days to 7-10 days, but it can be accelerated:

1. Thinning. The foam layer must be made as thin as possible. This is carried out in a mechanical way: the foam is washed gently with sandpaper, pumice to avoid damaging the skin. Sometimes they use a razor blade, but this method is not recommended, as cuts and wounds are inevitable. It is worth remembering that under the skin of the hands of the veins are located very close.
2. Steaming. Hands can be steamed in hot water (at a temp. 60-65 degrees). The steaming time depends on the quality of the foam, the degree of penetration into the pores and the initial condition of the skin.

After 10-15 minutes, the hands are wiped and dried. The spot is localized, the finest parts of the spots disappear. Thick need to thin and steam again.

If it was not possible to completely wash off the remaining foam, a baby moisturizer should be spread on the contaminated places at night. This method is not as effective as steaming. But it "works" all night and, as a rule, brings certain results.

How harmful is polyurethane

The active ingredient in polyurethane foam is polyurethane foam (PPU). Fresh and in the process of solidification, it releases toxic substances. Therefore, the contact of the PUF with the skin is not desirable and causes irritation, allergic reactions. Frozen it is not more dangerous than foam rubber.

How to protect your hands

It is enough to use rubberized gloves. Ordinary cotton ones are also suitable, but they are not able to fully protect their hands, because they get wet and permeable to foam. However, the area of ​​pollution will be reduced, especially if you change them more often.

It should be remembered that it is easier to foresee possible contamination than to remove dried polyurethane stains later. It’s so difficult.

Video: how to remove polyurethane foam from hands