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urgent - cleaning shoe polish off your hands

globetrotter

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anybody know how to get shoe polish off your hands completly?
 
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Acetone helps, but I've never been able to completly remove it right away.

When people ask why my index finger is black, I tell them I just voted in Iraq.
 

dah328

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either a solvent-based cleaner or the gritty soap you find in auto repair shops works for me.
 

DNW

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Try Orange cleaners found at hardware stores and some supermarkets. It takes car oil and grease clean off with little effort. I imagine it works well for shoe polish too.
 

Dmax

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I couldn't to get Meltonian off my hands for two days. One of the reason I switched to all Saphir cream and polish.

Not much help, I know.
 

Girardian

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I've been there -- didn't try the above, and couldn't get it off.

I did buy some gloves for the next polish go round.
 

stach

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Rub in some cold cream or vasaline on your hands etc. before you polish, It creates a barrier for the polish.
 

CoryB

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Use gloves when polishing. You can buy a 100 pack of gloves for less than $15.
 

Charley

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I usually apply conditioner - using my fingers - before polishing. the "oil" in the conditioner seems to slightly protect the skin from absorbing the polish. I've not had a problem in simply washing it off, if I've used the conditioner first. Otherwise it does take a bit of rubbing with the liquid soap.
 

Michael39

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I have found that regular ole Clorox Bleach removes polish from my hands quickly and easily. Also, Allen Edmonds shoe cleaner/conditioner also worked to remove polish from my hands, although not as quickly. Acetone barely works--not worth the effort and citrus cleaners are marginally effective. Hope this helps.
 

lawyerdad

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I've had good luck with hot water and Lava soap.
 

aragon765

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Originally Posted by Michael39
I have found that regular ole Clorox Bleach removes polish from my hands quickly and easily. Also, Allen Edmonds shoe cleaner/conditioner also worked to remove polish from my hands, although not as quickly. Acetone barely works--not worth the effort and citrus cleaners are marginally effective. Hope this helps.

I am no dermatologist, but something tells me bleach + hands = bad idea...

The leather conditioner idea seems like a better option, somehow.

BTW, welcome to Styleforum... nice to see a first post that is not "job suit" or "black suit?"
blush.gif
 

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