How irritating is it when you’re doing some DIY with the old faithful PVC glue, but you get it all over your hands?
Good luck trying to wash PVC glue off before it’s dry – it’s just not possible!
Polyvinyl chloride is the lesser known name of PVC glue, and it has been a popular DIY tool since the 1950s.
Pipes made from PVC are resilient plastic that can withstand a number of different weather conditions, and they won’t rust or corrode easily, either.
For this reason, PVC pipes are very common and popular for building and DIY projects. To understand more about PVC pipe applications, see our guide on how to cap PVC pipes.
These pipes are flexible and easy to install, and they’re not likely to crack under pressure.
To fit them together properly, though, you will need to use PVC glue.
Today we’re going to be looking at how to remove PVC glue from your hands.
Getting PVC Glue Off Skin – A Step By Step Guide
Getting stubborn glue on your hands is never enjoyable, and it can sometimes be dangerous.
You want to keep PVC glue away from your skin as much as possible.
However, if you’re here on our article, then it’s probably too late for our warning. Instead, let’s get it off your hands with a few easy steps.
Step One
The first thing you need to do is soak your hand in a bowl of soapy water.
The water needs to be as hot as you can handle, and don’t be stingy with the antibacterial hand soap.
Soaking your hand in this solution will loosen up the soap and soften the dried consistency.
If you don’t have time to soak your hands, at least wash them with hot soapy water.
However, soaking them will certainly work better and make the following steps easier.
Step Two
Now soak a cotton ball with acetone.
Nail polish remover will also work provided that it has acetone within it – be careful as some nail polish remover products are acetone-free!
Take the soaked cotton ball and rub it all over the glue on your hands. Use short strokes to best remove the glue.
You should see it starting to lift away from your skin, so make sure to replace the cotton wool ball with subsequent cotton balls as many times as you need to get all of the glue off.
Again, don’t be stingy with the acetone! If you need to remove stubborn glue gently, keep rubbing with the acetone until the glue softens.
This is the ideal chemical to remove glue from the skin, and the more you use the quicker you should be able to get it off of your hands.
Try not to use a damp cloth, as this won’t be as gentle on your skin.
Step Three
Now that all of the glue is off of your hands, rinse them thoroughly under warm water.
Use some more antibacterial soap to ensure that there is no more acetone or glue residue left on your skin.
Acetone is very drying to the skin, and so is the glue, so you might want to use a hand lotion to add some moisture back into the skin.
Why Is PVC Glue Dangerous To The Skin?
PVC glue is otherwise known as PVC cement as it is so strong once it is applied.
It can join two pieces of PVC pipe together with a process called solvent welding, so you can imagine how many chemicals are within it!
This type of glue is incredibly beneficial in the world of building and construction, but it can be hazardous if it is inhaled or comes in contact with your skin.
If the glue is inhaled too often, it can damage your lungs.
This is why it is always recommended that you use a mask when working with PVC glue.
PVC glue has a bad reputation when it comes to contact with eyes.
If you find that the glue has entered your eyes, you may experience burning, severe watering, inflamed conjunctiva, and stinging.
Again, you should wear the proper protective gear when dealing with PVC glue – in this case goggles.
If you do get the glue in your eyes, you should rinse the eyeball for five minutes or longer.
Due to this, you should have an eye washing station around you when using PVC glue.
Alternatively you can rinse the eye with a continuous stream of water from a bottle.
When the glue comes into contact with your skin, it can begin a painful and itchy rash.
However, this should subside a few days after the glue is removed from the skin.
If the skin is continuously exposed to the glue, however, it might lead to harsher effects such as dermatosis, which is a skin condition affecting the face and neck.
You should always wear gloves when applying this glue, no matter what.
Avoiding PVC Glue Injuries
Wearing the proper protective gear is instrumental when it comes to protecting yourself from PVC glue burns and other injuries.
Wherever possible, you should wear full body suits to prevent it from touching any of your skin.
An alternative to this would be to wear long trousers and a long-sleeved shirt, as well as gloves and shoes.
In terms of facial coverings, you should wear plastic goggles to protect your eyes and a mask that covers both your mouth and nose.
Between these two pieces of protection, almost your entire face will be covered and protected!
If all else fails, however, and you don’t have anything else to protect yourself with, gloves are a must.
You always need to be wearing gloves when using PVC glue as this is the area of skin that you’re most likely to come into contact with the glue.
Summary
We hope that you have found this article helpful and have managed to get the glue off of your hands!
PVC glue is a great tool for building, but it’s important to limit its contact with your body.
To prevent getting it on you again, make sure you’re always wearing the correct protective wear.
As much protective wear as possible is always the way to go, but if you’re struggling to find any then the bare minimum needed is gloves.
In case of a leaking pipe, learn about the best sealant for leaking pipes.