Tomato leaves-stained hands

[aquilegia]

Had a major blitz on my tomato plants (all 40-odd of them) over the weekend - tying up, cutting off sideshoots and yellow leaves, etc.

But after all that work, I cannot get my hands clean. There are still black bits (have no idea how the yellow stuff off the leaves turns black, but it does) on the cracks on my fingers and around my cuticles.

How can I get them clean?

I've washed with soap and water - scrubbed my hands with the nail brush and washing up liquid - they are still filthy.

And to make matters worse, I'm allergic to tomato plants and washing up liquid! (I know I should wear gloves, but then I can't do anything with them on!)

[Dorothy]

Hi aquilegia,

I find that the only way to get my hands clean after gardening is to soak them in biotex solution. I don't know if you will be able to though if you are allegic to washing up liquids.

Good luck.

[Mrs Ava]

I'm afraid, I am as naughty as our lovely Ina.....if I need clean hands I use a touch of bleach!  Hands come back lovely clean, pink and soft!

[aquilegia]

Bleach I think my skin would fall off!

[Ceri]

granulated sugar with enough lemon juice and olive oil to make a damp paste rubbed all over works well - careful though, if you've any cuts on your hands this will sting!   Works without the olive oil as well, but a bit drying on the skin

[Pixie]

best thing is either swarfega - used by many a machanic/engineer (lover has some) or Lemon juice - natures bleach - but for those of you with nails this will weaken them.

Sam

[aquilegia]

I'll give Ceri's suggestion a go tonight, as I happen to have all the ingredients at home!

[Jill]

Have you tried those thin latex gloves you can get from supermarkets?  I've found them very good (when I've remembered to put them on).  Jill

[tim]

Use a barrier cream (Rozalex type thing) before you do it? = Tim

[derbex]

Or disposable gloves fron garages.

Jeremy

[Wicker]

Along the same line's as Pixie's Swarfega I use the "Spotless" (JML) stuff for quickest results- I expect it's basically the same.  Or two lemon halves (1 each hand) or bleach followed by lashings of handcream.  I've always had hopeless nails anyway so all I hope for is them to be clean  

[ina]

So far bleach has been the only full proof way for me and I tried most of the suggestions mentioned.

Actually, bleach seems to make my hands softer too, I think it takes off all dead skin cells that make your hands feel rough.

Just a little thick bleach in a small dish and rub a bit on the stained area's of your hands, as soon as the stains are gone, wash several times with soap, dry, put some hand cream on and voila........ rough, stained gardeners paws changed into dainty, delicate hands, soft as a baby's bottom hehehe.

[aquilegia]

still daren't use the bleach - I have very sensitive skin!

don't like wearing gloves, and don't like the idea of throwing them away.

And I still have stains because I have a few too many hangnails to risk getting lemon juice into. ouch.

[john_miller]

When I worked in a monocrop tomato greenhouse we would religiously sprinkle citric acid crystals (Boots brand, from the home brewing section- 30 years on, do they still have one?) on our palms every morning, and after every break, and wet them slightly. This would dissolve the crystals and then we would rub the paste over our hands (scrupulously avoiding any cuts!). Come break time we would just wash the paste, and the green tomato stain, off. Almost completely effective, more than anything else, and certainly avoided hard scrubbing!

[Spurdie]

Hi all
I have given up trying to have lily white hands. I've scraped soap under my fingernails and put on lashings of handcream before I start, and I find it makes no difference whatsoever.
I think the worst stain to come out is from plums. I got a large boxful of Victoria plums from a neighbour last year, whose tree was bent over with the amount of fruit it had on it, and I decided to make chutney with them. Well, I peeled and stoned plums all afternoon and by the end of it my hands were brown, and they stayed brown despite scrubbings with washing up liquid, lemon, AND bleach FOR DAYS.  

[ina]

Whaaaaaaaaaaaat? Bleach didn't work? Pure bleach?
I better watch out, we'll be getting plums soon so I better wear gloves to de-stone them. I really do need clean hands for work.
Thanks for the warning.

[Sarah V Bertram]

Plums and damsons stained my hands brown too, in the cracks and cuts, as mentioned above. I was very surprised by it at the time!

[piglit]

For anyone who has too much money(!) I can recommend foxgloves, special gloves from the states which I was given as a gift (I would not spend that much on a pair of gloves).  But they are so thin that I can do all but plant the tiniest of seeds with them on which is great.  They are not waterproof but don't hold the water that much either and they dry very fast on the windowsill.
http://www.foxglovesgardengloves.com/

[Doris_Pinks]

Piglet, I have a pair of Foxgloves, given to my by my American friend....when I have them pulled up it looks as if I am gardening in evening gloves I can recommend them though, but not for rose pruning!!

[aquilegia]

$25   I stick with my dirty hands.

I now have tomato feed stained hands and I have to go to a meeting later.