Long story short, last night I was using Great Stuff, this expanding sealant from Dow to fill some cracks. And I managed to get it all over my fingers and didn't wash it off in time, so it formed this hard, superglue-like coating on the outside of all of my fingers. The worst part is that it was black from the dirty conditions I was working in. I tried everything I had in my house to get it off: Regular Soap, Palmolive, Goo Gone, Fingernail Polish remover, Exfoliant, Soap with Salt...nothing worked. Then my wife found a post on the internet that if you put Purple Primer on the gunk for 30 seconds, it would just whipe off. Wellll...Like a bad practical joke, the only thing it managed to do was turn the goop purple. Is there anything out there that can get this **** off? I'm not particularly vain, but I don't want to walk around with purple fingers all day!
Well, the purple primer is purple only for the inspectors checking the plumbing on a house so they see that they used the primer before the glue for the pvc. That being said, they do make clear primer. Have you tried nail polish remover? Also, WD40 is some good stuff too.
If the foam has not cured or hardened, use acetone or fingernail polish remover (with acetone). If the foam has hardened, there is no solvent that will remove it. It will not harm your skin and will wear off in several days. To remove cured foam from skin, use a pumice stone (available at most drug stores) and warm, soapy water. Then apply petroleum jelly to soften your skin. http://greatstuff.dow.com/greatstuff/cons/faq.htm
Acetone will get it off. And it doesn't really burn at all. If you go to any little nail shop they have straight acetone for taking of acrylic nails so they can get it all of for you. Or you can get a huge bottle at wal-mart in the cosmetics section for a few bucks.
I remember the first time I heard the word GUNK. My 4th grade teacher said it, and I swear I laughed for about 2 hours nonstop.
Don't worry, I know how to remove that thing safely and effectively. But in order to ensure that I give you the proper advice, I will need to know a much more detailed description of the situation. For instance, how far away from the can were you? Did it land anywhere else? What was the trajectory of the can when it was being used? How much did the can weigh? Did it feel hot? cold? Give me as much information as possible.
Thanks for the responses and advice. And I did try Nail Polish Remover and Goo Gone, as stated in my original post. I have the luxury of working a research hospital, so I have access to many doctors, both MDs and PhDs. The MDs I asked were clueless, except one suggested acetone. So I went to a lab and got the tech to pour some pure acetone on my hands. I was a little scared at first, but it didn't burn or sting like the Purple Primer. Anyway, after five minutes of washing with Acetone, I managed to get out the purple..so now my fingers just look really dirty like a vagrant or ditch digger. I think I preferred the purple color, because I could have played it off like a pen leaked on me or something cool like I was robbing a bank and the dye pack exploded on me. Again, as I said in my first post, I let the stuff dry. And this was last night. I didn't even think of trying gas, although I'm not relishing the thought of smelling like a gas can for a day. I'll also give WD40 a shot. The lab tech also tried ethanol, but that didn't work either. I'll try the pumice stone technique later on after my hands heal up a bit. They're pretty raw from washing them over and over and over again with abrasive chemicals. I'll be at Mardi Gras in Galveston all weekend, so if you see a big blonde guy with jacked up, dirty fingers catching beads or doing other drunken stuff, that's me. Pity beer accepted.
This is pretty much my last resort. My wife is going to pick up a pumice stone at the grocery store today.
Good call. Their website even says: "Then apply petroleum jelly to soften your skin."... I can't think of a better way to apply it.
