I heard this tip on American Restorations this past week. Basically
they said that if you get wood stain on your hands, put some olive oil
on them and it will help remove the stain. something in the olive oil
is a natural solvent of r wood stains. I just thought I would pass it
on.

I'd be careful about passing that on as a tip.

Olive oil is a vegetable oil just like Tung oil and linseed oil. And, as such, any olive oil that comes off your hands and onto wood is gonna penetrate into that wood just like linseed oil or tung oil, and at that point, it's going to prevent the wood cells soaked with olive oil from absorbing stain.
The only way to get that olive oil out would be either to sand off the wood to the depth the oil penetrated, or to wick it out with paper towels damp with mineral spirits or something.

I'm just concerned that any vegetable oil getting on bare wood is going to penetrate into the wood and cause problems, and that it would probably be better to just use mineral spirits to clean your hands. If you get that mineral spirits on wood, it'll just evaporate from the wood, and no harm done.

On May 10, 2:47*pm, nestork wrote:
Robin Ellzey;3060065 Wrote:

I heard this tip on American Restorations this past week. *Basically
they said that if you get wood stain on your hands, put some olive oil
on them and it will help remove the stain. *something in the olive oil
is a natural solvent of r wood stains. *I just thought I would pass it
on.

I'd be careful about passing that on as a tip.

Olive oil is a vegetable oil just like Tung oil and linseed oil. *And,
as such, any olive oil that comes off your hands and onto wood is gonna
penetrate into that wood just like linseed oil or tung oil, and at that
point, it's going to prevent the wood cells soaked with olive oil from
absorbing stain.
The only way to get that olive oil out would be either to sand off the
wood to the depth the oil penetrated, or to wick it out with paper
towels damp with mineral spirits or something.

I'm just concerned that any vegetable oil getting on bare wood is going
to penetrate into the wood and cause problems, and that it would
probably be better to just use mineral spirits to clean your hands. *If
you get that mineral spirits on wood, it'll just evaporate from the
wood, and no harm done.

--
nestork

Good point, but as a cleaning up process in the kitchen after
finishing staining, it works pretty good getting stain off of your
hands.

Robin

Robin Ellzey wrote:
I heard this tip on American Restorations this past week. Basically
they said that if you get wood stain on your hands, put some olive oil
on them and it will help remove the stain. something in the olive oil
is a natural solvent of r wood stains. I just thought I would pass it
on.

Wood stain. That would be my least worry.

Greg

Robin Ellzey wrote:
I heard this tip on American Restorations this past week. Basically
they said that if you get wood stain on your hands, put some olive oil
on them and it will help remove the stain. something in the olive oil
is a natural solvent of r wood stains. I just thought I would pass it
on.

I just use waterless hand cleaner (Goop) for stain and oil based paint.

Robin Ellzey wrote:

Good point, but as a cleaning up process in the kitchen after
finishing staining, it works pretty good getting stain off of your
hands.

So does lacquer thinner. That's my universal solvent / hand cleaner.

Robin:

Interior wood stain is NOTHING MORE than dye dissolved in mineral spirits or alcohol. Any dried up wood stain on your hands will dissolve readily in mineral spirits or alcohol (depending on what the original stain carrier fluid was).

EXTERIOR wood stains will have some alkyd or acrylic binder in them so that they form a film over the wood. The purpose of having that binder film form over the wood is to encase the UV blockers and mildewcides which are also added to exterior stains to protect the wood from the Sun and mildew growth on it. Also, the binder film prevents the wood from absorbing liquid water at it's end grain, and that's what causes wood outdoors to split at it's end grain.

So, interior wood stain should come off easily with paint thinner and/or isopropyl or denatured alcohol. Exterior wood stain will come off with whatever cuts the alkyd or acrylic binder; and if the binder has only been dry for an hour or less, then water for water based exterior stains or mineral spirits for oil based exterior stains will get the stain off your hands.

While cooking oil might very well work, there are cheaper and more effective alternatives available to you.

On May 10, 6:47*pm, Home Guy wrote:
Robin Ellzey wrote:
Good point, but as a cleaning up process in the kitchen after
finishing staining, it works pretty good getting stain off of your
hands.

So does lacquer thinner. *That's my universal solvent / hand cleaner.

I use Naptha as my all-purpose solvent/cleaner.

On May 10, 7:00*pm, nestork wrote:
Robin Ellzey;3060103 Wrote:



Good point, but as a cleaning up process in the kitchen after finishing
staining, it works pretty good getting stain off of your hands.
Robin

Robin:

Interior wood stain is NOTHING MORE than dye dissolved in mineral
spirits or alcohol. *Any dried up wood stain on your hands will dissolve
readily *in mineral spirits or alcohol (depending on what the original
stain carrier fluid was).

EXTERIOR wood stains will have some alkyd or acrylic binder in them so
that they form a film over the wood. *The purpose of having that binder
film form over the wood is to encase the UV blockers and mildewcides
which are also added to exterior stains to protect the wood from the Sun
and mildew growth on it. *Also, the binder film prevents the wood from
absorbing liquid water at it's end grain, and that's what causes wood
outdoors to split at it's end grain.

So, interior wood stain should come off easily with paint thinner and/or
isopropyl or denatured alcohol. *Exterior wood stain will come off with
whatever cuts the alkyd or acrylic binder; and if the binder has only
been dry for an hour or less, then water for water based exterior stains
or mineral spirits for oil based exterior stains will get the stain off
your hands.

While cooking oil might very well work, there are cheaper and more
effective alternatives available to you.

--
nestork

I will agree that there may be better alternatives. I just shared the
tip because I've never thought of using olive oil to remove the stain.
I cook with the stuff quite frequently, and sometimes I realize I got
stain on me after leaving the shop. It works in a pinch without
having to go back to the shop to clean up.

"Robin Ellzey" wrote in message
...

I heard this tip on American Restorations this past week. Basically
they said that if you get wood stain on your hands, put some olive oil
on them and it will help remove the stain. something in the olive oil
is a natural solvent of r wood stains. I just thought I would pass it
on.


I keep a jug of stuff called "fast orange" in my work shop. It removes any
thing I get on my hands. I dislike using gloves when staining or painting.
Yet the hands have no harm from it. WW

On Fri, 10 May 2013 16:45:45 -0700, "Bob F" wrote:

Robin Ellzey wrote:
I heard this tip on American Restorations this past week. Basically
they said that if you get wood stain on your hands, put some olive oil
on them and it will help remove the stain. something in the olive oil
is a natural solvent of r wood stains. I just thought I would pass it
on.

I just use waterless hand cleaner (Goop) for stain and oil based paint.


That's what I use, it's a lot cheaper than olive oil. Better yet, wear
gloves and prevent the stain from getting on hands.

I'd have to try the olive oil to see if it works. I suppose it does,
but for a water based stain, plain dish detergent and water does a
pretty good job too. For oil based stain, paint thinner or even
gasoline (used with caution), should do the job, followed up with soap
and water. Olive oil is costly. I tend to wonder why not just use
plain cheap vegetable oil?

On Sun, 12 May 2013 23:13:02 -0500, wrote:





That's what I use, it's a lot cheaper than olive oil. Better yet, wear
gloves and prevent the stain from getting on hands.


Years ago, we thought nothing of it to get all sorts of chemicals and
lubricants on our hands. Armed with knowledge, I now keep a box of
latex gloves around for potentially messy jobs. Not only healthier,
but saves a lot of cleanup time.

On Mon, 13 May 2013 05:58:06 -0400, Ed Pawlowski wrote:

On Sun, 12 May 2013 23:13:02 -0500, wrote:





That's what I use, it's a lot cheaper than olive oil. Better yet, wear
gloves and prevent the stain from getting on hands.


Years ago, we thought nothing of it to get all sorts of chemicals and
lubricants on our hands. Armed with knowledge, I now keep a box of
latex gloves around for potentially messy jobs. Not only healthier,
but saves a lot of cleanup time.

+1 Though I find Nitrile gloves work better. They're cheaper, too.
HF occasionally has them on sale for $5 or $6 a box.

On May 10, 3:13*pm, Robin Ellzey wrote:
I heard this tip on American Restorations this past week. *Basically
they said that if you get wood stain on your hands, put some olive oil
on them and it will help remove the stain. *something in the olive oil
is a natural solvent of r wood stains. *I just thought I would pass it
on.

I read the label on a tube of super glue today and it said if your
fingers stick together rub them with olive oil. Damn! Acetone works
better. I wonder who's pushing this olive oil thing??