It’s easy to forget to wear protective clothing, especially if you’re used to handling DIY projects like applying polyurethane finishes. However, did you know that prolonged exposure to these harsh chemicals can harm human skin?
To prevent such accidents, our woodworking experts detailed how to get polyurethane off your hands and other tips about the removal process.
Polyurethane and its Properties
Polyurethane bonds well with other materials because it’s categorized as a synthetic resin. You may not know, but it’s a chemical derived from petroleum. So even though it’s a popular wood finish product, you can also use it in insulation and sealing tasks.
When shopping for these wood finishes, you’ll encounter two variations: oil-based and water-based polyurethane products. These options have different components and textures, so don’t expect the same procedure when removing polyurethane from your hands.
Recommended Read: Fixing Polyurethane Mistakes
Assess the Type of Poly That Sticks on Your Hands
It’s easy to differentiate oil-based from water-based polyurethane. All you need to do is feel the texture of the polyurethane stuck in your hands.
If the sticky substance gives you a strong and greasy feeling, there’s a high chance that it’s an oil-based polyurethane finish. It’s often composed of harsh chemicals that stain with a brown or amber hue.
Meanwhile, water-based polyurethane has a lighter consistency than oil-based alternatives. Because of this, it’s easier to remove and prevent polyurethane from sticking.
Removing Water-Based Poly
Step #1: Wash Poly Off Your Hands
Before anything else, wash your hands with liquid dish soap and water. By doing this, you’ll be able to remove dome residues of dried polyurethane.
Step #2: Rub Your Hands and Rinse Them Off Thoroughly
As you apply the dishwashing soap and warm water, don’t forget to rub your hands together thoroughly. You can also try gently rubbing the sticky spots to wash polyurethane off your hands faster.
If you still can’t remove polyurethane stains with this method, our resident woodworkers recommend soaking your hands in the water and dish soap solution for a few minutes. It should soften the dried polyurethane and allow easier removal.
Hand sanitizers can also be an alternative to dish soap, but will denatured alcohol remove polyurethane? The short answer is yes. You can also count on a fingernail polish remover to wash polyurethane from your hands.
After removing the polyurethane finish from the affected area, grab a soft towel and dry your hand.
Step #3: Apply a Lotion Moisturizer
All these methods can help to get polyurethane off your hands, but excessive rubbing could dry your skin. Unfortunately, rubbing alcohol [1] in dry areas can disrupt skin barriers. Because of this, we suggest using hand lotion after the process.
Removing Oil-Based Poly
Step #1: Apply Mineral Spirits on Your Hands
Oil-based or not, the question of will mineral spirits can remove polyurethane finishes always results in a resounding yes. Besides mineral spirits, you must have soap, warm water, vegetable oil (or baby oil), and moisturizing lotion at your disposal.
When applying mineral spirits to remove oil-based polyurethane from your hands, you must ensure that you’re in a well-ventilated area. The more sticky the spot is, the more mineral spirits you should wash your hands with.
Be extra cautious in applying mineral spirits because these chemicals are often harsh on the skin. You can use a shop rag to control the application. Nevertheless, it’ll soften and lift polyurethane.
While mineral spirits tend to remove oil-based polyurethane stains from your hands, you can opt for alternatives like a soy-based polyurethane stripper or paint thinner. Rubbing alcohol or a nail polish remover should also help with sticky polyurethane.
Step #2: Clean Your Hands
After that, you need to remove the mineral spirits from your skin as they are known to be acidic. If you can, rinse it off with lava soap or dishwashing liquid.
Removing polyurethane isn’t as easy as you think because it can still leave your hand sticky after pouring all that mineral spirits. If you still feel that texture, you can repeat applying mineral spirits and washing it off with warm water until the stickiness is gone.
Step #3: Apply Lotion Moisturizer
All the excessive washing will leave your hand dry, so applying a moisturizing lotion can be crucial to this process. Don’t just grab any hand lotion on the shelves and ensure that the product fits your skin condition.
More removal tips? Check out these articles:
13 Other Effective Ways to Remove Poly on Your Skin + How to Use
Option #1: Peanut Butter
Did you know that even peanut butter can help remove polyurethane from your hands? Unlike mineral spirits and paint thinner options, peanut butter doesn’t include harmful substances that may damage the skin. Here’s how you can apply it:
- Get a decent amount of peanut butter from the jar.
- Let it stay in the sticky area for a minute or two.
- Wash the peanut butter while removing polyurethane from the spot.
- Apply moisturizing lotion to avoid leaving the skin dry.
Option #2: Alcohol/Denatured Alcohol
Isopropyl alcohol is undoubtedly one of the best options to get polyurethane off your hands. Although it’s also made of strong components, it’s not as harsh as mineral spirits. When using it to remove polyurethane, you must wear a mask to avoid excessive fume inhalation.
- Use cotton balls to apply denatured alcohol over the affected area.
- Don’t pat it dry yet. Let it sit to remove polyurethane from your skin.
- Start rubbing the area as gently as possible.
- Wash it with soap and water to get polyurethane residues and alcohol mixture off your skin.
- Apply hand lotion once your hands have dried.
Option #3: Paint Thinner
Alcohol mixtures are unmatched solutions to this dilemma, but can a paint thinner remove polyurethane from your hands? Fortunately, yes. You can make paint thinners work by loosening polyurethane off your skin.
The only problem is paint thinner is more potent than other cleaning solutions, so it’s only recommended if no other options are available.
- Grab a cotton ball or cloth and soak it with paint thinner.
- Rub and wait for it to remove polyurethane residues from your hands.
- You can use warm water and soap to wash it off.
- Apply hand lotion after patting your hands dry.
Option #4: White Vinegar
Since you probably have this ingredient in your kitchen, white vinegar is an economical choice for removing polyurethane from your hands. You can count on it to soften dried polyurethane if its primary solvent is oil-based.
Although white vinegar carries a scent, it has natural components that are less harsh than mineral spirits.
- Fill a bowl with white vinegar. Ensure that you pour enough liquid for your hand to submerge into the mixture completely.
- Soak your hand in the vinegar for a few seconds.
- While submerged, rub the affected area with your nails to get polyurethane residues off your hands.
- Wash your hands with water and soap until the residues are gone from the affected area.
- After drying your skin with a clean towel or cloth, apply lotion to restore moisture.
Option #5: Soy-Based Poly Stripper
You can also get sticky residues off the affected skin area using a traditional method like applying a soy-based polyurethane stripper. It’s a bioactive option, so we can assure you that it’ll be gentle on your skin once applied.
- Apply the soy-based stripper to the cotton balls.
- Rub it in your hands to get polyurethane residues off.
- Wash it off using soap and water.
- Wait for it to dry and apply lotion.
Option #6: Salt & Olive Oil
Besides applying polyurethane strippers, you can also rub olive oil and salt to move its sticky residues. And because you can easily find these ingredients on the kitchen counter, these home remedies won’t cost you as much money as other options.
- Soak your hand with olive oil.
- After it’s covered with olive oil, start scrubbing it with salt.
- Wash the oil, salt, and polyurethane residues off the skin with water and soap.
- Let it dry. And then, apply a generous amount of lotion to moisturize the skin.
Option #7: Vegetable Oil or Baby Oil
Other options, like baby or vegetable oil, are gentle substances that are effective enough to soften polyurethane residues. Take note of these steps to successfully remove polyurethane using this method.
- Choose between rubbing baby oil or vegetable grease.
- Apply it on the skin gently and let it soak.
- Wait for it to lift before washing it off with soap and water.
- Spread lotion on the skin once the area is completely dry.
Option #8: Nail Polish Remover/Acetone
Compared to vinegar and peanut butter, nail polish offers stronger components that can remove polyurethane faster. This material is also widely available.
- Apply the nail polish to the cotton ball.
- Rub it in your hands until you see the residues come off.
- Continue doing the process until the sticky parts are gone.
- Wash with soap and water. Once dry, apply the lotion.
Option #9: Soap
As previously discussed, this method is only effective for water-based polyurethanes. You can use any dishwashing or hand soap to execute this process.
- Mix water and soap into a bowl.
- Submerge your hand in the mixture for a minute or two.
- While in the water, rub it gently to remove the polyurethane.
- Once residues are gone, wash them off.
- Pat your hands dry with a clean towel and apply lotion.
Option #10: Lotion/Moisturizer
If the polyurethane application on your hand isn’t too severe, lotions and moisturizers can work to your advantage. Here’s how you can do it:
- Wash affected areas with running water and soap.
- Get a clean cloth or towel to pat the affected area dry.
- Grab the lotion and rub it over the skin.
Option #11: Hand Cleaner
You may not know, but some manufacturers sell hand cleaners designed to get polyurethane off your skin if you don’t wear gloves.
- First, try to wash the polyurethane off with water and soap.
- While the hands are still wet, apply the hand cleaner.
- Go as gently as you can while rubbing the solution over your skin.
- Let the running water wash away the residues as you rub your hands.
Option #12: Warm Water
If you’re not keen on the risk of leaving your skin dry, we recommend using plain warm water. It’s one of the easiest solutions, and here’s how to do it:
- Wash the affected areas first with soap and water.
- Pour the warm water into the bowl.
- Soak your hands in the bowl filled with water.
- Let it sit for a few seconds or one minute. You can also rub it gently while submerged.
- After the hands are polyurethane-free, pat them dry and apply lotion.
Option #13: Mineral Spirits
Another common way to remove the polyurethane stain in your hands is by applying mineral spirits. It’s a popular degreasing product you can buy in local hardware stores.
- Start by washing with soap and running water.
- Let the soap wash off, but keep the affected area wet.
- Apply mineral spirits while rubbing them over the surface.
- Once the residues are loosened up, rinse them with water.
How to Remove Polyurethane Glue From Your Hands
Besides wood finishes, you can get your hands sticky when applying polyurethane glues without wearing gloves. Here’s how to deal with it.
- Add acetone product to the cotton wool.
- Rub it over the sticky hands.
- Let it soften while rubbing it off.
- If your hands are still sticky, consider scrubbing them with lava soap.
Essential Tips to Effectively Remove Polyurethane
- Don’t forget to wear protective gloves on the unaffected hand.
- Wipe the polyurethane spills immediately to prevent staining.
- Keep the finish in a sealed container.
- Keep extra mineral spirits at your workshop for emergencies like this.
How to Avoid Getting Poly on Your Hands in the Future
Prevention is better than applying any of these cleaning solutions. So if you don’t want to encounter these hassles, do these preventive tips:
Make Sure to Use Protective Gear
It’s not an overreaction when expert woodworkers ask you to wear protective goggles or gloves because this procedure will save you from potential harm.
- Rubber Gloves
- Chemical-resistant Gloves
- Latex Gloves
- Protective Goggles
- Closed-toe Shoes
- Eye Protection
Wipe Off Poly When Wet
You won’t have difficulty washing off dried poly if you wipe it off as soon as it spills. You can use a towel or cloth for this procedure.
How to Dry Polyurethane
These products have different drying times, so we understand why newbies find it hard to determine. However, learning some application techniques will save you from experiencing the dilemma of how to get polyurethane off your hands.
- Apply polyurethane in thin coats.
- Keep the material damp with a water spray bottle.
- After drying, maintain the wet finish for the next coat.
- Get the application done as quickly as possible and cover the entire area.
- Apply two to three coats to form a durable protective layer.
FAQ
How can I remove dried poly from your hands?
Soak your hands with cleaning solutions like mineral spirits. You can also use alternatives like soy-based strippers and vegetable oil. These products will soften the poly residues and help you wash them off easily.
What remedy at home can remove poly from your hands?
You can use vinegar and olive oil to remove polyurethane from your hands. If you don’t have that at home, you can opt for peanut butter and nail polish removal. Regular household items like dishwashing soap and baby oil can also help with this issue.
How can you wash off poly caulk from your hands?
You can wash off poly caulk by rubbing thinning agents like acetone into it. Grab a cotton ball soaked with the thinner and rub it until the caulk is gone.
You can also use an oil-based substance like baby oil or coconut oil to break down the caulk. Apply a small amount to the affected area and let it sit for a few minutes. Then wash off with soap and warm water.
How do I remove spar urethane from your hands?
Add a tiny amount of mineral spirit to your hands and rub it off. Don’t forget to wash it with warm water once the substance is completely gone.
Read Next: Spar Urethane vs Polyurethane
Conclusion
While it’s easy to say that you can prevent direct contact with polyurethane, you should know how to handle incidents like this when it does come by.
Our resident woodworkers recommend applying the solutions listed above to wash off poly from your hands. As polyurethanes dry quickly and the longer you leave it as is, the more problems you’ll encounter trying to remove it.
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