Help! I have farmer's hands!

[DixyDoodle]

Ok, not that I don't wear my grime with pride, but can I totally forget having fingernails that don't look like I work on cars for a living? LOL My nails are so disgusting, the horsesweat and whatever else is totally stained under my fingernails. Doesn't matter how much I scrub them.

I've tried Snap handscrub, auto mechanic's hand scrub, lemon juice, toothpaste, Comet bathtub cleaner (no kidding, well it's bleach and grit, right?) and finally resorted last night to scrubbing with 1/2 bleach and 1/2 water. It worked, but I bet that within a week or so, my hands and nails are going to have a new problem: severe dry skin and cracked nails.

Can I have the best of both worlds? Is there anything you find that makes your hands clean-looking? I find the worst is the skin under my nails, they stain so badly it's embarrassing!

DD

[DenverGirlie]

Before you get ready to leave the house, put some Vaseline under your nail beds, it will create a barrier. Can also do so with soap as well, just put what you want under your nail beds before you go out and get them dirty and when it's time to clean up, the last thing you'll dig out from under your nails in going to be the Vaseline/ Soap.

Good luck

[grannygardner]

I run my fingernails across a bar of soap before heading outside to work. It doesn't gather as much gunk as vaseline does. I keep a container of the orange handcleaner from the auto parts store sitting on the bathroom counter. When I come in from outside I wash my hands good with a soft nail brush and the orange cleaner. It works well for me and doesn't dry my hands out.

[ceresone]

I, personally, gave up years ago. I just think of a line I heard once "LORD, on JUDGEMENT DAY, please, take a look at these hard working hands.

[RLStewart]

I had to laugh and look at my own hands when I read this! Mine look pretty rough too. They get dry and then they stain in all the little cracks and I think the dirty look under the nails is permanent. I mostly don't worry about it but there are times when you don't want the rugged look.... If I keep mine from getting too dry they don't seem to stain as much. I might try the soap under the nails though next time I'm digging in the garden.

[Hammer4]

I get my hands pretty greasy and dirty working on the tractor, etc. I just use goop on my hands when I get done and make sure and scrape my fingernails across the palm of my hand that has goop on it to get the goop underneath the fingernails, then rub some goop into the nail bed around the top of the nail..wipe off with a shop towel, then go in and wash with soap and water.

Really tough grease under the fingernails may require another round of this but not to often. I can't stand having vaseline or soap under my fingernails before I start working, I tried that as well, but that's just me. Some folks use heavy duty rubber/latex gloves before doing dirty/greasy work but I don't like wearing those so I just do my cleanup ritual afterwards.

Goop is really magic stuff, you can use it as a prewash grease remover on clothing as well.

Oh, and after the soap and water (or before I go out to work), if my hands feel even a little dry, I get some lotion and put it on. Grease is much harder to get out of dry cracked skin....

[Shepherd]

LOL - boy do I know that one! And the last time I was in public... I felt compelled to explain that it wasn't dirt - my hands were actually stained.

Every year when black raspberries are ready, I end up with horrendously stained nails, hands, cuticles... nothing seems to help. I get non-latex medical gloves and try to make sure I always have them on now when I go out picking. It took me awhile to learn to be careful because they get ripped easily on the thorns (just like your hands)... and I keep an extra set with me when I'm out. It's really helped.

This summer after I was out trying to tie up tomato vines to stakes, I was shocked how badly my hands and fingernails were stained again because I'd forgotten my gloves. So every crack in my fingers and hands, the nail beds and cuticles - all were stained really bad.

I used to go into work with painted fingernails during the summer; everyone knew it was berry picking season when I'd start wearing polish, LOL (the only time I would wear it).

Even now I'm still canning tomatoes, then comes the apples and pears... I will be wearing the medical gloves to keep my hands and fingernails from staining.

I'll have to get some "Goop" or that orange cleaner for up here at the house! I just got some for DH down in the barn.

[wilderness1989]

Originally Posted by ceresone

I, personally, gave up years ago. I just think of a line I heard once "LORD, on JUDGEMENT DAY, please, take a look at these hard working hands.

This is great!!!!!!!!!! Thanks!!!!!!!

[kesoaps]

LOL...fingernails?? I know people say to dig your nails into soap before heading out, and I'm sure it does work. But do I ever remember? No! And I make the blasted stuff

[Jan Doling]

LOL. I have Farmer's Feet...and have to soak them in bleach and water to get rid of the stains. We go barefoot a lot due to the climate (and our lack of being civilized!). Sometimes I have to go the extra step of taking a scrub brush to my little tootsies. Our dirt and ponds are filled with swamp run-off, which has lots of tanin thanks to the cypress trees.

[tamsam]

We used to use a product at our garage but I can't remember what the name was. It is like lotion and you rub it on your hands and only soap and water will take it off.We got it at auto parts stores that sold paint and paint supplies. It works for oil, grease, paint and thinners. I have never tried it for berries but might be worth a try. Take care. Tamsam

[redgreenbluegil]

You mentioned mechanic's hand scrub didn't seem to help, but if you haven't tried GoJo (creme style) brand I really recommend it. It has petroleum distillates (kero?) in it, so it breaks up the grease quite readily. I wipe off as much grease with a paper towel as I can, and then use a small dab of GoJo and rub my hands together for a while and then a few drops of water, but not too much water (I assume too much water at this point dilutes it). Scrubbing the underside of nails with a bristle brush and GoJo might help too.

[largentdepoche]

When I worked with cleaner to clean printing plates, my fingers/nails always got stained blue.

I used Lava soap (the red bar) and it worked like a champ. It never left my hands dry either.

Kat

[MaggieJ]

DD, try wetting your hands with warm water, pouring about a tablespoonful of vegetable oil in your palm (almond oil is nicest, but any good oil such as olive, sunflower, canola will work) and then add about a teaspoon of salt. Rub your hands gently with this and then wash with just a little mild soap to remove the excess oil. Your hands will be much cleaner and softer.

A good beeswax and oil salve (either homemade or one of the Burt's Bees products) is a good follow-up at the end of the day. I make my own, just shred one part beeswax and melt it in three parts vegetable oil in the microwave. (CAREFULLY! Beeswax is flammable!) Stir while it cools to keep it from separating and while it is still soft add a few drops of an essential oil such as peppermint or rosemary. The essential oil is not essential but it makes it nice to use and peppermint is very soothing.

Not that my hands are objects of beauty, you understand, but I find that this treatment helps a lot, especially in winter.

[agmantoo]

Apply a good hand cleaner sold for mechanics PRIOR to getting your hands dirty. After applying the cleaner, use paper towels to dry your hands leaving a coating of the hand clearner on your hands. Now get them dirty and when time to clean your hands liberally apply a second application of the hand cleaner and scrub using a surgeons brush obtainable from a pharmacy. You hands will be clean. The initial coating will prevent the grime from getting into the skin.

[paulaswolfpack]

I do the soap thing before I go outside, at night after my shower I rub Udder butter on my hands and feet put on gloves and socks to wear to bed in 7 days baby soft skin works for me.

[rabbitgal]

Originally Posted by DixyDoodle

Ok, not that I don't wear my grime with pride, but can I totally forget having fingernails that don't look like I work on cars for a living? LOL My nails are so disgusting, the horsesweat and whatever else is totally stained under my fingernails. Doesn't matter how much I scrub them.

I've tried Snap handscrub, auto mechanic's hand scrub, lemon juice, toothpaste, Comet bathtub cleaner (no kidding, well it's bleach and grit, right?) and finally resorted last night to scrubbing with 1/2 bleach and 1/2 water. It worked, but I bet that within a week or so, my hands and nails are going to have a new problem: severe dry skin and cracked nails.

Can I have the best of both worlds? Is there anything you find that makes your hands clean-looking? I find the worst is the skin under my nails, they stain so badly it's embarrassing!

DD

Use hand-lotion and were gloves to do your work!

[DixyDoodle]

I keep a container of the orange handcleaner from the auto parts store

I think that's the stuff I tried. It didn't work. The Snap I used is very similar to to Lava soap, also no luck.

LOL. I have Farmer's Feet...and have to soak them in bleach and water to get rid of the stains.

I have that too. But not too many people get to see those in public, especially in the winter. I just can't figure out how, when I'm wearing rubber boots and not walking around barefoot, can my feet get so dirty? LOL

rabbitgal, I could never wear gloves! I love to work barehanded.

MaggieJ, we do sell Burt's Bees products up here! Maybe I'll try some of that hand balm.

I will also try the soap under the fingernails even though I don't know if I can stand the feel of it, and also, I will probably forget half the time!

Thanks for the tips, keep 'em coming!

DD

[GoatsRus]

I don't think this will clean your hands and nails, but it will make them softer. Take a tablespoon or two, of used coffee grounds and rub them all over your hands. the rough grounds exfoliate and the tannin in the coffee softens the skin. Only use it once a week. Wash hands with gentle soap afterwards. I just keep a baggie of used grounds in the fridge.

[Wildwood Flower]

Lava Soap is what I have used.

Corn Husker's Lotion for dry chapped hands. It is great! And cheap!