How To Clean Insulation Off Skin

Great Stuff foam works well on many of your households needs to minimize unwanted airflow and condensation. This universal product works well for indoors and outdoors, and can even be used on items that are soaked in water. While this product is not intended for use on the hands, there are times when we are far from perfect and Great Stuff foam gets onto our skin.

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To get Great Stuff foam off your hands, you will need to wipe off the foam on your hands, then use fingernail polish remover and soap and water. It may be possible that you will need to use a pumice stone with some lotion to get as much of the Great Stuff Foam as possible.

How to Get 'Great Stuff' Foam Off Hands

There are times when it is necessary to get dirty when taking care of your home. This has been proven when using spray foam insulation such as Great Stuff Foam. This will keep your home's energy usage down so you do not spend an arm and a leg on heating and cooling bills.

However, it is awfully easy to miss a crack and accidentally spray your hands. Unfortunately for your skin, it adheres very quickly . Generally, a small amount will not be harmful to the skin, but it can irritate the skin, so you will want to get it off as fast as you can. However, you will want to make sure that you do not allow it to cure, as once it has, chemicals and other solvents will not do much to remove it.

Your first instinct when you get something on your hands is to quickly wash them. While this may seem like an excellent idea, water speeds up the curing process of Great Stuff Foam. Once the water hits the foam, it will begin to cure and harden. This will make it even harder to remove from the skin. Instead of reaching for water, grab a towel to wipe off as much of the foam as you can.

Here is how you should clean your hands to get Great Stuff Foam off of them.

Removing Uncured Great Stuff Foam From The Hands

Step 1: Remove The Uncured Spray Foam From The Hands.

While the Great Stuff Foam is still wet on the skin, gently wipe it off. Paper towels or disposable rags can be used. Place these in a plastic sack and tie off once done to avoid getting more on the skin.

Step 2: Wipe The Hands With Acetone.

Next, you need to wipe the skin that has Great Stuff Foam with acetone. Acetone can be found in nail polish remover. However, not all nail polish remover will contain acetone. Usually, the front of the bottle will say "contains acetone" or "with acetone". If the front of the bottle does not say this you can also check on the back of the bottle on the ingredients list.

It will most likely be easiest to use cotton balls or thicker paper towels when wiping the hands down with the acetone. Toilet paper will tear too easily and you will not be able to rub the skin down well.

Step 3: Wash Hands.

Wet your hands well with warm water, then lather up with soap . Scrub the hands well, then rinse with fresh water. Be sure to get all acetone off the hands by rinsing well.

Step 4: Moisturize

Acetone can be very drying to the skin. Therefore, you must use a good moisturizer to replace any oils that have been stripped from using acetone. One with lanolin is a suggestion. If you prefer to go all-natural, you can use coconut oil, olive oil, or jojoba oil.

But how should you proceed if the Great Stuff Foam has cured on the hands? Keep reading to find out!

Removing Cured Great Stuff Foam From The Hands

Step 1: Rub With A Pumice Stone.

The first step to remove cured Great Stuff Foam from the hands is to use a pumice stone to loosen up the substance. Use the pumice stone in the same manner as you would on the heels of your feet.

Step 2: Wash The Hands.

Next, you will want to wash the hands well. Use warm water and plenty of soap to remove as much of the substance that you have scraped off from step one.

Step 3: Exfoliate.

Next, you will want to exfoliate the hands. You can use a body exfoliator , or you can make your own using sugar and oil. White sugar is best as it is coarser than brown sugar. But if you only have brown sugar, you can use that as well. Any type of oil will work well. Canola, olive, coconut, and jojoba all work great. Vegetable oil will even do. Simply mix a small amount of sugar with oil to get a paste. Then rub into the hands, paying attention to the rough areas. Once you are done, rinse the hands well with warm water and soap.

Step 4: Apply Lanolin.

After the hands have been dried well, you will need to apply a liberal amount of lanolin or petroleum jelly . Now is not the time to be stingy. Next, wrap the hands with plastic wrap or use a clean pair of gloves. If neither of these is available, you can also use clean socks. Keep them on for at least one hour, but two hours will most likely work better.

Step 5: Wash The Hands.

After removing the plastic wrap, gloves, or socks, wash the hands with warm water and soap . If any Great Stuff Foam remains on the hands, repeat the lanolin or petroleum jelly, covering once again with the plastic wrap, gloves, or socks. You may also try to wear these to bed overnight to further soften the foam.

Conclusion

Great Stuff Foam is an amazing product to have on hand in any home. This product can be used outdoors on landscapes, ductwork, plumbing fixtures, attics, still plates, and so much more! It is a heavy-duty material that can really penetrate different materials. The product should be dispersed slowly to have the best luck with it.

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Even the most careful people sometimes make messes and get the product where it is not intended to go. In most cases, this can be avoided if gloves are worn, however, If that happens to you, follow gloves may not always be available. Be sure to follow the steps listed above to remove either cured or uncured Great Stuff Foam from the hands.