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OT -- Getting rid of the smell of Diesel fuel off skin?

Weirsdale George

Stainless
Joined
May 17, 2003
Location
Weirsdale, FL
Later on this week I have to replace the lift pump on a Diesel engine which is, of course, in an inaccessable spot. Even though I will be wearing those blue rubber gloves, I know I will be getting Diesel fuel on my skin some how or another. Are there any tricks to getting the smell off your skin? (The only thing I find worse than Diesel fuel is bleach!)
 
Weirsdale George --

Saturating the skin on your hands and arms with a non-offsensive oil -- handlotion, vegetable oil or shortening from the kitchen, or petroleum jelly -- before exposure to the diesel fuel will reduce the amount of diesel fuel you skin will absorb. There are also "liquid glove" barrier creams meant to prevent the skin's absorbing of petroleum oils, and a lot of we 1970s GIs used Dippity-Do hairgel for that purpose.

John
 
What John Garner said, plus I'd add that if you lotion up your hands/forearms good, then get the job done/get dirty, reapply lotion and then clean up with a dish soap or dish soap + a pumice-based hand scrub you shouldn't have hardly any stink or leftover dirt/grease on your hands.
 
For some reason, I find JetA to be worse than diesel..... but at least it seems to evaporate faster. We've had a project in that requires us to run a fuel pump quite a bit, and fiddle with it. I've got fairly familiar with those products in the process.

Lotions are fine, but the diesel/jetfuel seems to wash it off, so no great advantage there IMO.

Go-Jo and time seem to work. Go-Jo right away, then after an hour or so do-again.
 
I worked with a guy that used Crisco shortening as a lotion everyday before he started working on vehicles, gas or diesel. He always smelled kinda funny, not sure if it was the crisco or not.

I flat refused to work on diesels after a few years, can't stand the stench.
 
When I was a kid,the mechanics used mayonnaise!!

Why not get some long dishwasher's gloves that go half way up your arms,and turn the tops over into cuffs to catch any fuel that runs up the arms?
 
What about dunking your hands in gasoline, after that I would be it would be rather hard to smell the diesel!:D Sorry I couldn't help it. With that being said do the above remedies work with Gasoline smell same problem.
 
All the above plus the following:
- wash your hands/arms with liquid soap (no water) and a little granulated sugar. In addition to the abrasive action of the sugar, the sugar seems to attract oils. Then wash the whole mess off.
- then use a clean oil. Borrow your wifes cold cream, hand cream, use olive oil whatever and handy, rub it in and repeat the above liquid soap/sugar trick. The cold cream/oil seems to displace the diesel/gas that has soaked into your skin. In a pinch clean motor oil rubbed on and then washed off will work as well.

Dave
 
Automatic transmission fluid,rubbed on your hands prior to washing is supposed to dilute the diesel enough,to get rid of the smell.
 
As a mechanic I relied on this: BlueMagic to keep the grease, grime, gas, diesel, ATF, hydraulic oil, and whatever else I would come into contact with, from soiling (or stinking up) my dainty paws! :)

A most excellent product! Your local paint store should stock it.


Rex
 
There is this stuff i use, its cream you rub on your hands and nothing gets into your skin. Gas, Oil or any chemicals will not get into your skin and wash off easy. I have posted on another post what the brand is... i dont have the container with me but i will pst tomorow. It helps with the smell but also keeps it out of your blood stream.
 
The stuff i use is called pr88 invisible glove. It keeps the smeels out of your skin as well as the chemicals out of your system. I used it every time i do anything messy. It comes off with water. They also have some for using while your working with water based chemicals, but i have not tried it yet. You guys should look into this stuff.
 
I use Tecnu, the stuff for poison oak. It's amazingly good at removing oils from your skin. I use it routinely for this, after a day up to my elbows in 100 year old yech. It'll also get grease smudges off your face etc. Far better than anything else I've tried, and I've been thru lots of products....
 








 
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