# Dissolving Vaseline or Gasoline **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [July 13, 2005, 12:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dissolving-vaseline-or-gasoline/312259 "2005-07-13T00:39:09Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Saranga](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d6d6ee/32.png) [@Saranga](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saranga)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2005, 12:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dissolving-vaseline-or-gasoline/312259/1 "2005-07-13T00:39:09Z")
Two questions lumped into one petroleum-happy post: 1. When I apply Vaseline to my face I have a really hard time removing it. I scrub and scrub and eventually it comes off, but there has to be an easier way. Any ideas that are safe for contact with skin? 2. Is there a quick way to remove the stink of gasoline when it gets spilled on my skin? Thanks 🆒 ---
**Author:** ![HMS\_Irruncible](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hms_irruncible/32/7394_2.png) [@HMS\_Irruncible](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HMS_Irruncible)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2005, 1:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dissolving-vaseline-or-gasoline/312259/2 "2005-07-13T01:58:59Z")
> [@Saranga](#): > > Two questions lumped into one petroleum-happy post: > > 1. When I apply Vaseline to my face I have a really hard time removing it. I scrub and scrub and eventually it comes off, but there has to be an easier way. Any ideas that are safe for contact with skin? Soap doesn’t do it for you? Works for me. Make sure you’ve got a nice strong soap, not a gentle moisturizing soap. > [@](#): > > 1. Is there a quick way to remove the stink of gasoline when it gets spilled on my skin? Hmm… Vaseline maybe (heh). These are both nonpolar organics… the only thing that can dissolve them is other nonpolar organics, and most of these kinds of chemicals are greasy, toxic, or both. I’d first try soap, and then maybe something like Vaseline (seriously). If those failed, and life as I know it would end if I couldn’t immediately stop smelling like gasoline, I’d probably try paint thinner or chloroform or something equally carcinogenic. Fortunately I don’t mind the smell of gasoline so much. ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2005, 2:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dissolving-vaseline-or-gasoline/312259/3 "2005-07-13T02:05:10Z")
FastOrange or any other citrus based cleaner (sold at auto stores, hardware stores) will remove both vaseline and gasoline. 3M makes a citrus cleaner that will dissolve liquid nails, too, but it’s about $22 for a 12oz aerosol can, I think. We used to use it in the scene shop I worked in, and that stuff would clean ANYTHING. I mean ANYTHING. But the FastOrange works great for me. ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2005, 2:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dissolving-vaseline-or-gasoline/312259/4 "2005-07-13T02:13:14Z")
> [@Brain Wreck](#): > > These are both nonpolar organics… the only thing that can dissolve them is other nonpolar organics, and most of these kinds of chemicals are greasy, toxic, or both. I’d first try soap, and then maybe something like Vaseline (seriously). Before I read this post, the first thing I was going to say was that gasoline would probably get the vaseline off. As for the gas smell, is this just a once in a while thing, or all the time. If it’s a regular thing (ie you work on cars/small engines etc…) I would go to an autoparts store and pick up some waterless cleaner like ‘goop’ or even something like ‘gojo.’ Those usually do a pretty good job of getting all the gas off, and anything left over will be covered quite well by the smell of the cleaner. And now that I think about it, either of those will probably get the vaseline off, but I’m not so sure I’d want to rub them into my face. (Well, goop would be okay, but gojo has pumice in it and you’d probably take off a layer of skin with the vaseline.) ---
**Author:** ![ouryL](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ouryl/32/6067_2.png) [@ouryL](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ouryL)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2005, 6:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dissolving-vaseline-or-gasoline/312259/5 "2005-07-13T06:32:54Z")
> [@Saranga](#): > > Two questions lumped into one petroleum-happy post: > > 1. When I apply Vaseline to my face I have a really hard time removing it. I scrub and scrub and eventually it comes off, but there has to be an easier way. Any ideas that are safe for contact with skin? > > 2. Is there a quick way to remove the stink of gasoline when it gets spilled on my skin? > > Thanks 🆒 Vaseline dissolves in alcohol. This mix allows you to remove some oily substances like ballpoint ink. ---
**Author:** ![Amaranta](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Amaranta](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amaranta)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2005, 6:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dissolving-vaseline-or-gasoline/312259/6 "2005-07-13T06:54:24Z")
Quick question: why, exactly, are you applying Vaseline to your face? ---
**Author:** ![Saranga](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d6d6ee/32.png) [@Saranga](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saranga)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2005, 2:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dissolving-vaseline-or-gasoline/312259/7 "2005-07-13T14:17:19Z")
I will try the Fast Orange. Hopefully I can find the pumice-less version. Thanks! **ouryL** : What is the mix? **amaranta** : I straighten my hair and the directions ask me to apply Vaseline to my face to prevent the straightening chemicals from coming in contact with the skin. The problem is that it takes several applications of soap to get it off. The gasoline is unrelated. ---
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2005, 2:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dissolving-vaseline-or-gasoline/312259/8 "2005-07-13T14:28:19Z")
Saranga, there’s also facial cleansers with orange oil. I have one by The Body shop, and there’s a Burt’s Bees one as well. I find the Burt’s Bees to be a little too…well, vaseliney…for my taste, but the Body Shop one is more lotiony and rinses off clean. I’m sure there’s others. ---
**Author:** ![Rick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/9f8e36/32.png) [@Rick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2005, 10:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dissolving-vaseline-or-gasoline/312259/9 "2005-07-13T22:03:18Z")
Be very very careful about using fast orange or any industral hand cleaner on your face. These cleaners are designed for the skin on your hands which is much tougher than the skin on your face. I don’t even want to think what it would feel like if you got some in your eyes. :eek: \<-- This is what you would look like with hand cleaner in your eyes. ---
**Author:** ![ouryL](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ouryl/32/6067_2.png) [@ouryL](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ouryL)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2005, 11:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dissolving-vaseline-or-gasoline/312259/10 "2005-07-13T23:41:05Z")
Vaseline dissolves alcohol. Certain petroleum products like ball point ink will dissolve in Vaseline but because it is a viscous mess, it’s not usually used for this. This ink will dissolve in alcohol, but not very well. However, mix them together and you solve Vaseline’s viscosity problem.