I am trying to find a good heavy duty hand cleaner. This is mostly a question to those of us who have lived on both sides of the Atlantic, as the best I’ve ever used was Gojo lemon pumice hand cleaner, which is very common in America but not readily available in Europe. For those who haven’t tried it, it’s a cream with a look and consistency of thick mayonnaise, which contains triethanolamine to emulsify the oil/grease (which it does much better than soap) and particles of pumice to scrub the skin. There is also a medium duty grade without pumice, and both grades exist in an orange-flavoured variety with a runnier consistency. I would buy it through Amazon or eBay, but the smallest package they offer is a 2-kg jar, while I would rather get 2-3 smaller jars to keep at different locations and maybe also a few travel-size tubes. Can anyone recommend either a source of these or maybe a good alternative?
I use the same stuff in the UK. I buy it in large tubs and then dispense into small tubs for distribution at home, at the hanger and at my storage unit.
The best hand cleaners are the ones containing wood particles. Usually they are not liquid. You shouldn’t use it every day as it is quite abrasive but there isn’t anything that comes close to it. I guess 90% of all professional mechanics use this stuff around here.
https://www.amazon.de/Caramba-693405-Handwaschpaste-500-ml
This stuff is also very good: https://www.amazon.de/Liqui-Moly-3355-Flüssige-Hand-Wasch-Paste/dp/B00295G9NG
PS: I think the stuff I mention is virtually identical to the Gojo mentioned earlier.
You should also try some “baby wet napkin/paper tissues”. It’s just incredible how they remove/dissolve/whatever they do, just about everything (oil, wax, oily sooth from engines etc), and is of course designed to be used on a baby’s ass, so they want harm your fingers. I use some Swarfega clone stuff from the local shops here though, but this baby napkin stuff is great to have around for quick clean up.
LeSving, the wet baby tissues are what I used recently. They are fine when you don’t have too much dirt on your hands, otherwise you have to use a dozen tissues instead of a spoonful of Gojo…
At least in Germany that Gojo hand cleaner with pumice is available but lots of equally good alternatives exist. It’s just a detergent with an abrasive substance (here: pumice) mixed. Standard in every mechanical workshop I have ever visited.
Nobody uses Swarfega anymore.
