Working on cars - glove and rag management

[JHZR2]

I've done simple through advanced tasks as a DIY. I've always racked up the use of a lot of blue paper towels and disposable gloves; but my recent job of refurbishing calipers, and replacing brakes on a car where the whole bearing assembly has to be regreased has made me a bit more considerate of the shop supply use rates.

Usually, doing most any job it goes like this - start clean, out on nitrile gloves, use a bunch of paper, eventually gloves either rip or have to come off, hands are sweaty, don't/can't get new ones on due to soaking sweaty hands, hands get filthy, use a ton more paper, finish job, clean filth from hands and arms.

So it's almost like I might as well have not put on gloves at all. Oil changes this isn't the case (though I do use a bunch of towels), but bigger jobs it's just pretty typical.

Mechanix type gloves are ok for very big stuff like tire changes, but anything where real feel is necessary they're useless.

I don't think the economics are there for red rags. Dunno if folks wash and reuse them; I wouldn't.

So, what do you do to keep yourself and other stuff clean? How wasteful is it? Have you found good ways to keep more junk off your skin?

Just looking for ideas. Between rotor caliper refurbishments, bearings, etc, I used half a jumbo roll of blue rags and half a box of gloves. And still was absolutely filthy every step of the way. Wanting to do better.

 

[eljefino]

Keep using the nitrile gloves. Your liver will thank you.

Washing sweaty hands beats washing greasy ones, and the solvents that get grease off are toxic AF.

You can do a dry wipe of your sweaty hands with a single paper towel between glove changes.

Brake fluid is gross and I'm always sweaty when dealing with it, so that helps it spread up my forearms past my gloves anyway.

 

[RooflessVW]

I always wear nitrile. Keeps me protected and clean and they're easy to take off if I need to do something for my wife or kiddos mid-job. I like the fore-arm length gloves. Always wear eye protection.

I buy the blue Scotts rolls. If they're not soaked with whatever, I keep using them until they are. Red rags are cheap at HF. If you're not comfortable sending that stuff to a land fill, toss them in the burn barrel or fire pit.

 

[atikovi]

Not sure about nitrile, are they stretchy like latex? I pay under $12 for a box 100 latex gloves and a buck a roll of Bounty Select-A-Size towels. Usually only need a half sheet at a time. And 2 pairs of gloves seems enough for most jobs but I'm not scrimping on a quarter or two if I have to use more and not have greasy hands and nails for days. If your hands are sweaty, rinse in water and let dry a few minutes. Then put on new gloves or reuse the olds ones if still good.

 

[Mr Nice]

I use heavy duty hospital gloves used for chemo, no joke. These are very heavy duty and stretch without breaking and they will cover your forearms.

The nitride glove are too flimsy and break easily.

I can send you a new box of XL gloves if you want....

 

[Fawteen]

A pair of coveralls that I keep specifically for working on vehicles. My hat to keep the sweat from rolling down my face as I'm working.

Black nitrile gloves. Bought a case at a time from Amazon since I also use them for some food prep and other chores where I don't want grease or chemicals all over my hands. Never had an issue with them breaking, but I do wear mechanics gloves over the top when I'm doing something that might rip them.

A roll of the cheapest paper towels available from the Dollar General store within arms reach. Does everything the pricey blue shop paper towels do, for a lot less.

When I'm done any gloves or paper towels go into the trash.

The coveralls never get washed-they have one purpose only and hang in a corner of the garage.

 

[Silverado12]

I just wipe my hands off with an old T-shirt and use Gojo when I'm done. I never really thought much about it, but some chemicals can soak into your skin and cause health issues.

 

[RooflessVW]

Ammex 8 mil nitrile gloves don't rip, don't tear, and grip extremely well thanks to their patter.

I haven't found a better glove yet.

 

[Mad_Hatter]

Originally Posted by Fawteen
A pair of coveralls that I keep specifically for working on vehicles. My hat to keep the sweat from rolling down my face as I'm working.

Black nitrile gloves.

All of this 👆, except since I'm bald i wear a Carmelo Anthony style headband. Kids say I look funny but whatever, what's worse is having a bead of sweat land on my bifocals at the precise moment I need to see clearly.

I have a box of red shop towels and I also use the blue Scott's paper towels for like the ATF. That stuff smells like azzzz and nobody likes it if I bring a red shop towel loaded with that stuff into the house....‚

Btw, Borax does a great job of getting shop towels clean. And everybody in the house knows the red towels aren't for the kitchen anyhow.

Originally Posted by Silverado12
I just wipe my hands off with an old T-shirt and use Gojo when I'm done. I never really thought much about it, but some chemicals can soak into your skin and cause health issues.


Ditto on the gojo and when I was younger 30+ yrs ago I would let that crap sit on my hands, arms, face all day. But now I'm more conscious about staying as clean as possible.

 

[Warstud]

I can't remember the name but there is a hand protectant that you apply before you get your hands dirty.

 

[Mad_Hatter]

Originally Posted by Warstud
I can't remember the name but there is a hand protectant that you apply before you get your hands dirty.


Maybe some of those diabetic lotions would lock out the gunk? I do put on hand lotion [after] washing with gojo... never thought of using it (just) beforehand.

 

[gman2304]

Originally Posted by Warstud
I can't remember the name but there is a hand protectant that you apply before you get your hands dirty.
. Invisible glove...it's been around for a long time.

 

[willbur]

Originally Posted by Warstud
I can't remember the name but there is a hand protectant that you apply before you get your hands dirty.


I just apply some cheap foam shaving cream to my hands and rub it in. Grease and dirt almost fly off when I'm cleaning up after working on my vehicles. I think silicone in the cream blocks grime adhesion.

 

[JTK]

I've tried various nitrile and latex gloves over the years but they're always torn to shreds on me within minutes. If the gloves are too thick, I can't get the dexterity I need.

Never have found the right combo.

I recycle old cotton clothes, towels and bedding into rags and tie those off in shopping bags for disposal once they get dirty.

 

[Lolvoguy]

Originally Posted by JHZR2

Usually, doing most any job it goes like this - start clean, out on nitrile gloves, use a bunch of paper, eventually gloves either rip or have to come off, hands are sweaty, don't/can't get new ones on due to soaking sweaty hands, hands get filthy, use a ton more paper, finish job, clean filth from hands and arms.

Sounds to me like you have other underlying health problems that are causing your hands to do this.

I also use gloves when DIY on the car, or doing dishes in the kitchen (no dishwasher).

 

[Rand]

use the black HF extreme nitrile gloves.. very thick.. did 2 tire rotations with them and they didnt rip

 

[Rolla07]

Try thicker gloves or dishwashing gloves. I find dishwashing gloves to hold up better...nothing beats using bare hands for grip tho lol

 

[Dyusik]

I have dedicated clothes for major wrenching, always in nitrile gloves, and a paper towel dispenser mounted upside down for small rags. I use all the ruined clothes for rags, I have a healthy supply from the kids alone.
My hands are plenty sweaty in the gloves, but I am hot handed, so they dry up once I reach for a drink, or just wait a little bit.

Years ago when I had my BMW, I had to wrench every AM and to work (medicine) in the PM. The best clean I ever got was from using Tide, very little water to get the scrub going and the the aeon it takes to wash off. Hands come out cleaner than I ever could, and I have nasty cracks from washing and sanitizing all day at work. A scrape feels worse than hydrochloric acid washing with the stuff though.

 

[bbhero]

Originally Posted by rooflessVW
Ammex 8 mil nitrile gloves don't rip, don't tear, and grip extremely well thanks to their patter.

I haven't found a better glove yet.



Will have to say that Mr Nice's idea of chemo gloves is a real legitimate way to go... Those drugs are something else... Thus why those gloves are the way they are.

 

[1foxracing]

I don't like gloves so I use barrier cream.

You can find these on Amazon.