How do you remove tannin stains from skin?

Nathan Hawkes

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96
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).
 
A liberal application of time is the only thing that I have ever found to make any real difference. I work a lot of Oak and get the same thing all the time. Baby lotion type moisturiser may reduce the hue a little bit but nothing I have yet found gets rid of it. DO NOT use oxalic acid. Mineral spirits will not make any difference. This is not a colour ON the skin of your hands. It is IN the skin of your hands. Basically it will go away when that layer of skin has sloughed off. Oh and if that news makes you unhappy I can give you my wifes phone number and you can commiserate with each other!:D!
 
Nathan,

Not sure there's any solution once it's on there. Shakespeare treats the issue well:

HAMLET
How long will a man lie i' th' earth ere he rot?

GRAVEDIGGER
Faith, if 'a be not rotten before 'a die (as we have many
pocky corses now-a-days that will scarce hold the laying in, I
will last you some eight year or nine year. A tanner will last
you nine year.

HAMLET
Why he more than another?

GRAVEDIGGER
Why, sir, his hide is so tann'd with his trade that 'a will
keep out water a great while;


:rofl::rofl::rofl:

Sorry, a little english major humor... ;)

I have seen something where you plunge your hands into a bucket and it coats your hands, but it seems like way too much trouble... ;)

Thanks,

Bill
 
Nathan, I use one of those orange smelling "goop" hand cleaners and a green "brillo" pad type scrubber. It ususally works pretty well for me...better the sooner you start to scrub. I also carefully use a glove on my left hand with oak to try and avoid some the stain as well.
 
Sometimes scrubbing your skin with a lemon will help. I have never had cherry, oak or walnut stain my skin. It must be a body chemistry thing. Lemon has removed other stains though.

Oxyclean might also work. A 10 part water to 1 part Chlorox will also get stains out. Don't use if you have tender skin.
 
second vote for lemon, rub a half a lemon on the area then wash with soap. presto walnut stains gone.

Xmas tree sap...rub hands with mayo then wash. No more sticky fingers.

/grandfather told me both, thought he was nuts...till I tried it.
 
Thanks for the suggestions, folks. I'm going to have to try the lemon juice suggestion; I posted this on another forum as well, and got the lemon juice suggestion there as well. Thanks people.

As for the cherry tannins, I was surprised too, but sure enough, my hands turn a dark bluish purple when I'm working with fresh, wet cherry. The last few pieces I've roughed out were from the root ball of a tree, and the wood was very red in color. Pics when I finish my DIY hollowing system & steady.
 
Nathan,
Thanks for the post... this was good information.
I have an opportunity to pick up a load of wild cherry this coming week, I wasn't aware that I could get my hands stained from the turning... I often turn with a half glove on my left hand, but the finger tips are exposed.

Now I have something else to watch out for...
 
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