Smelly Hands--Icky

[trailerparkmedic]

So, I volunteer at the animal shelter with dogs and that involves a lot of cleaning. Sometimes I come home with stinky hands, and I'm pretty sure it's from contact with dog pee. No matter how much I scrub my hands, it takes a day or so for the smell to fade. Does anyone have any suggestions on odor neutralizing stuff?

[kpzra]

Not sure if it'd help, but we use Listerine to get rid of the jet fuel smell from hands and clothes.

[Taboo]

I know there's carpet shampoo to remove the smell of cat or dog pee - I wonder if you could just lather that up like soap?

[Marmalady]

You can buy something called a 'steel soap' (name might vary according to manufacturer) that when you rub it over your hands under running water (like you would an ordinary soap) it takes away the smell of onions and other pungent food. I wonder if that might work?

[teh_blumchenkinder]

24601, I was wondering about your title...
Gasoline. Granted, that stuff's mildly toxic, at least... but I like the smell of gas! It gets rid of everything and anything but gasoline. I think it's 'cuz of all the engine solvents and stuff...
Good luck.

[MaggieTheCat]

I was going to suggest stainless steel too. You can get some steel soap, but all it is is a piece of stainless steel in the shape of a bar of soap; the shape doesn't have any affect on how well it works, it's just easier to handle and rub between your hands. But if you have anything else that's stainless steel, like silverware or something, just rub it between your hands under running water and see if it helps.

[Amusement Gal]

My google-fu is also saying that squirting some lemon juice on your hands and rubbing it around will help. If it doesn't, at least you have a nice citrus scent while you figure it out another way.

[Seshat]

Vinegar, though that might sting. Carb soda. Or check with the shelter staff, they've probably had that problem themselves and have a solution.

[Squeaksmyalias]

I found that GOJO natural orange pumice hand cleaner works really well. I made sure to wash my hands pretty often, depending on what you do at the shelter they might be having you wash up often so not to pass anything around. Then when I went on a break I would scrub good and then put non scented lotion on. It seemed to work out pretty well. Also GOJO really didn't dry out my hands. I ended up getting a small bottle to take to work with me, then I would refill it from the big industrial bottle I had at home. Btw make sure to get the one in the orange bottle, not the antibacterial, I don't think it works as well.


* I used to be a petsitter so I worked a lot with cleaning chemicals, and hated that smell too. I started bringing my own soap cause I hated that clients either A) had wimpy soap, B) had crazy smelly soap that was either too smelly or made me itch or C) HID THE SOAP! Really I had a client say she didn't want me using the soap, it wasn't even expensive bath and body works stuff, it was regular boring old store brand soap...I dealt with some really strange people.

[tacohuman]

basil is pretty good at neutralizing odors. i have a basil kitchen soap i use when i've been handling things that are particularly stinky (fish, etc.), but fresh basil rolled up and rubbed between your hands works pretty well, also.

[trailerparkmedic]

I tried some Listerine, since I have a big ol' bottle of it, and it worked really well.

Everyone at the shelter is pretty religious about washing their hands after touching a dog because there have been outbreaks of disease that resulted in large numbers of dogs being put down. We even wash the leashes between uses. The problem is that the shelter has boring antibacterial soap that doesn't seem to do much for smells.

I appreciate all the suggestions. I'm sure they will come in handy in the future.

[Seshat]

C) HID THE SOAP! Really I had a client say she didn't want me using the soap, it wasn't even expensive bath and body works stuff, it was regular boring old store brand soap...I dealt with some really strange people.

!!!!

I'd want my petsitter washing their hands as often as they wanted to! USE the soap!

Especially when cleaning up after the pets. Or cleaning litter trays. Use any of our cleaning supplies! Well, actually, if you decide to wash our dog, please use her special doggy wash, she's got allergies. But except for that....

[Squeaksmyalias]

!!!!

I'd want my petsitter washing their hands as often as they wanted to! USE the soap!

Especially when cleaning up after the pets. Or cleaning litter trays. Use any of our cleaning supplies!

I had a client that used to hide the litter scooper too. Really crazy people, I am not kidding you. I honestly started to think she took it on vacation with her, I knew it existed, I had seen it too when she was home. *sighs and puts head on table* I really don't know how I survived the crazy...

[Seshat]

A healthy, happy petsitter is more likely to result in healthy, happy pets.

[aurelemsrealm]

I was going to suggest some kind of lemon-scented dish detergent, vinegar, baking soda, or regular Dawn dish detergent are frequently offered as recommendations for removing lingering odors.