My Garden

Hands

Last post 16-07-2009 11:18 AM by Digger. 14 replies.

• 13/07/2009 08:55 PM
  Aberdeenshire Quine Location: Aberdeenshire Joined on: 14 Jun 2009 Posts: 4	Reply | Contact Does anyone know of anything good to get the muck properly off my hands, please? I did see someone suggesting detergent and sugar, and someone else suggesting detergent and grit, but I'm not certain if either was serious :)

• 13/07/2009 09:45 PM	In reply to
  Phot's-Moll Location: The sunny South coast. Joined on: 06 Jan 2007 Posts: 3,347	Reply | Contact  Something gritty does help, so sugar and liquid soap are a good idea - rub it into the skin without water and then wash off. You could try exfoliating cream or washes if you want something milder (or wear gloves, so your hands stay reasonably clean!) Whether you think you can do a thing, or think you cannot, you are right.

• 13/07/2009 09:56 PM	In reply to
  Digger Location: Northern UK Joined on: 18 Jul 2005 Posts: 4,743	Reply | Contact I thought girls didn't mind getting their hands dirty these days? digger

• 13/07/2009 10:07 PM

  In reply to

  MC_Emily Location: Lincs / Notts border Joined on: 20 Apr 2009 Posts: 9

  Reply | Contact Adding sugar (or grit) merely turns soap into an exfoliating wash.  Used harshly to remove ingrained dirt could cause a reaction on your skin.  A better alternative would be to wear gloves or use a protective balm whilst doing dirty work.  Alternatively, wash your hands as well as possible, gently with soap or handwash, and then do the washing up.  Your hands will be lovely and clean

• 13/07/2009 10:15 PM	In reply to
  Digger Location: Northern UK Joined on: 18 Jul 2005 Posts: 4,743	Reply | Contact I just use those disposable latex type gloves to keep my hands clean. But when my hands have needed a wash I did find that soap and warm water worked very well to remove the dirt. digger

• 14/07/2009 10:31 AM

  In reply to

  miranda Location: Oxfordshire Joined on: 17 Nov 2004 Posts: 2,977

  Reply | Contact I've read, but not tried it, that digging your finger nails in to hard soap before going out keeps the dirt out. It's one of those things I've always meant to try out. I don't mind getting my hands dirty but don't really like ingrained dirt, so wear gloves a lot of the time. Thing is, they become irritating so I take them off, get my hands dirty, find I need gloves again, put them back on and then get the inside of the gloves dirty as well.  A good way of getting the garden from under your finger nails is to give your hair a particularly vigorous wash and then scrape your nails out while any remaining dirt is still soft. That or do some washing up without gloves on.

• 15/07/2009 11:22 AM

  In reply to

  Susiq Location: Northumberland Joined on: 16 Feb 2008 Posts: 1,104

  Reply | Contact I use those disposable latex gloves too - under my gardening gloves, even then my nails go right through them, both sets of my leather rhs gloves have got holes in the fingers. I just use a strong nail brush with lots of soap, its still not very efficient tho'. There's a product called 'bubble-white' that you soak your nails in - it works a treat but it would also be too expensive to use on a regular basis.

• 15/07/2009 11:26 AM	In reply to
  bigsusan55 Location: North-West London Joined on: 14 May 2009 Posts: 144	Reply | Contact Try greasing your hands well with a nice pot of gardener's handcream before going out into the garden.  I use the nails into hard soap trick as well, but I'm not certain how much that does.  Certainly greasing up before going out helps a lot ,as shown on the occasions when I forget Big Susan

• 15/07/2009 12:54 PM	In reply to
  Celtic Heart Location: Wales Joined on: 03 Jun 2009 Posts: 63	Reply | Contact For the most part I use old rubber gloves that can no longer be used for washing up with.  When they do need a good scrub, I use a Japanese nail brush, with whatever soap is to hand, as it gets into the knuckles and around and under the nails much better than an ordinary nail brush. One is nearer God's heart in a garden than anywhere else on earth.

• 15/07/2009 02:12 PM	In reply to
  Susiq Location: Northumberland Joined on: 16 Feb 2008 Posts: 1,104	Reply | Contact what's a 'japanese nail brush' and where do you get them??

• 15/07/2009 02:51 PM	In reply to
  Digger Location: Northern UK Joined on: 18 Jul 2005 Posts: 4,743	Reply | Contact I think it's a nail brush that Japanese people use to clean their nails with, they should be readily available in Tokyo digger

• 15/07/2009 03:06 PM

  In reply to

  Celtic Heart Location: Wales Joined on: 03 Jun 2009 Posts: 63

  Reply | Contact Sorry, I should have put this in before.  If this doesn't take you to the actual page, then just type 'Japanese Nail Brush' into the search box.  They are only £3.10 and completely natural wood and bristle.  I find it lovely to use as well as looking good and doing the job. http://www.beautynaturals.co.uk/search.asp One is nearer God's heart in a garden than anywhere else on earth.

• 15/07/2009 03:16 PM	In reply to
  miranda Location: Oxfordshire Joined on: 17 Nov 2004 Posts: 2,977	Reply | Contact That looks like a good device, CH.

• 15/07/2009 10:49 PM	In reply to
  Phot's-Moll Location: The sunny South coast. Joined on: 06 Jan 2007 Posts: 3,347	Reply | Contact  Usinghandcream before gardening does seem to stop the dirt getting so ingrained. I've tried the soap under the nails thing. It might work for a short period, but I found the soap just dried and fell out. Whether you think you can do a thing, or think you cannot, you are right.

• 16/07/2009 11:18 AM	In reply to
  Digger Location: Northern UK Joined on: 18 Jul 2005 Posts: 4,743	Reply | Contact Those latex gloves are easy to use they're only £4 for a couple of hundred gloves, once you wear them you don't notice you have them on, OH's son use them for doing oily work with his motorbike, and if you wear them in the garden it's not as unpleasant if come across any cat deposits. digger