Well, I have worked in a number of
workshops and have found that just about every company uses a different method.
One company I worked at used a household
bleach with hot water to remove the old French polish, yes it worked but what
was it doing to my and others skin?
Another company used soda crystals in
hot water, now this works well but again very harsh on the hands.
Of course, methylated spirits will remove
the polish from your hands, but will leave you with a nasty smell that will
last for hours.
If you are particular about your hands
and need to keep them in a clean condition, you might like to try a barrier cream
rub this well into your hands prior to French polishing
and this will help to reduce the polish from sticking and therefore make it
easier to clean off at the end of the day.
I found that trying to remove the
polish by vigorous rubbing using canvas with hot water was causing my hands to
become very red in colour so I stopped using the harsh canvas and now I just
use hot water with soap and flannel and if I have stain around my fingernails I
reach for the scrubbing brush rub soap into the bristles and this works well, of course, it does not get all of the stains out but it is better than having sore
hands.
I find it is much better to let the
polish come off in its own time or if like me by the time I have finished
washing and doing the washing up nearly all of the polish will have gone.
It could be said that gloves would be
the most prudent thing to use and this would negate all of the above having
said that French polishing is about getting the feel through your fingers and I
don’t think this can be done wearing gloves only my thoughts.
I hope this will be of some use to you?
If it is of use or perhaps you have a
method that works fine for you? Please click
on the comment tab below thanks.
