# How To Remove Micro Splinters from Your Hands? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [November 16, 2009, 3:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-remove-micro-splinters-from-your-hands/517778 "2009-11-16T15:28:12Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Mildest\_Bill](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e47774/32.png) [@Mildest\_Bill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mildest_Bill)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2009, 3:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-remove-micro-splinters-from-your-hands/517778/1 "2009-11-16T15:28:12Z")
I did some yardwork yesterday and I also cut down some cactus it didn’t have any visible thorns so I hauled it to the front of my yard to get carried off. Turns out I have micro splinters all over my hands that are too small to get out with tweezers any suggestions?. ---
**Author:** ![EmAnJ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/d2c977/32.png) [@EmAnJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EmAnJ)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2009, 3:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-remove-micro-splinters-from-your-hands/517778/2 "2009-11-16T15:32:02Z")
That’s a tough one! Maybe find someone with a parrafin wax tub and dip your hands in, let them cool, and slowly peel the wax off? It might be just enough to catch a few and pull them out. ---
**Author:** ![Blake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a9a28c/32.png) [@Blake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blake)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2009, 3:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-remove-micro-splinters-from-your-hands/517778/3 "2009-11-16T15:32:48Z")
Depilatory wax. Or the real man’s method, which is to coat your hands with a thick layer of PVA, let it dry and then peel it off. Needless to say, these methods also remove hair. ---
**Author:** ![Squink](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5e925/32.png) [@Squink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Squink)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2009, 3:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-remove-micro-splinters-from-your-hands/517778/4 "2009-11-16T15:34:06Z")
I’ve had luck with rubber cement on occasion: Paint dry and peel. Success probably depends on whether the particular cactus spines you handled are hook ended or straight. ---
**Author:** ![Blake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a9a28c/32.png) [@Blake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blake)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2009, 3:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-remove-micro-splinters-from-your-hands/517778/5 "2009-11-16T15:41:31Z")
> [@Squink](#): > > I’ve had luck with rubber cement on occasion: > Paint dry and peel. Be careful with this advice. Lots of (all?) rubber cement contains some really nasty solvents, including toluene. They usually come with very strict warnings not to allow contact with bare skin. Read the label carefully before you try this on your skin. ---
**Author:** ![Mildest\_Bill](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e47774/32.png) [@Mildest\_Bill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mildest_Bill)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2009, 3:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-remove-micro-splinters-from-your-hands/517778/6 "2009-11-16T15:42:15Z")
I’ll try the wax where do you get that stuff at a beauty supply place I guess? ---
**Author:** ![Blake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a9a28c/32.png) [@Blake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blake)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2009, 3:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-remove-micro-splinters-from-your-hands/517778/7 "2009-11-16T15:46:10Z")
> [@Mildest\_Bill](#): > > I’ll try the wax where do you get that stuff at a beauty supply place I guess? Depilatory wax? Yeah, or most pharmacies, supermarkets etc. Basically any where that sells cosmetics and razors. Parrafin wax? The cheapest way for small quantities is just to buy candles and melt them down. ---
**Author:** ![DesertDog](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/desertdog/32/11503_2.png) [@DesertDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DesertDog)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2009, 3:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-remove-micro-splinters-from-your-hands/517778/8 "2009-11-16T15:49:07Z")
We get that all the tiime here. A thin layer of white glue (like Elmer’s), letting it dry and peeling it off usually does the trick. It’s easier to peel than rubber cement. ---
**Author:** ![Blake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a9a28c/32.png) [@Blake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blake)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2009, 3:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-remove-micro-splinters-from-your-hands/517778/9 "2009-11-16T15:54:03Z")
> [@DesertDog](#): > > . A thin layer of white glue (like Elmer’s)… That would be PVA, the real man’s solution I mentioned earlier. ---
**Author:** ![kopek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kopek/32/337_2.png) [@kopek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kopek)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2009, 3:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-remove-micro-splinters-from-your-hands/517778/10 "2009-11-16T15:59:56Z")
There was this black salve my grandmother always used for things like that. Her name for it was “drawing salve” but the scientific name started “ichy” and went on from there. I believe its intended purpose is something else but it was our splinter cure. I don’t know what it would for for large areas like the OP describes but for small deep splinters that resist all other efforts, that is usually my go-to stuff. ---
**Author:** ![Whack-a-Mole](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/whack-a-mole/32/141_2.png) [@Whack-a-Mole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whack-a-Mole)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2009, 4:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-remove-micro-splinters-from-your-hands/517778/11 "2009-11-16T16:02:20Z")
Would duct tape work? Seems like it would (will take hair with it too though). ---
**Author:** ![Blake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a9a28c/32.png) [@Blake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blake)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2009, 4:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-remove-micro-splinters-from-your-hands/517778/12 "2009-11-16T16:05:22Z")
I doubt duck tape would work. Not enough contact area. ---
**Author:** ![johnpost](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f17d59/32.png) [@johnpost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/johnpost)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2009, 4:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-remove-micro-splinters-from-your-hands/517778/13 "2009-11-16T16:10:27Z")
scotch tape has worked for me ---
**Author:** ![Scumpup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ce73a5/32.png) [@Scumpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scumpup)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2009, 4:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-remove-micro-splinters-from-your-hands/517778/14 "2009-11-16T16:12:08Z")
Duct tape has worked for me. So has that insanely sticky clear tape for sealing parcels. ---
**Author:** ![koeeoaddi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/koeeoaddi/32/408_2.png) [@koeeoaddi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/koeeoaddi)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2009, 4:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-remove-micro-splinters-from-your-hands/517778/15 "2009-11-16T16:19:33Z")
> [@DesertDog](#): > > We get that all the tiime here. A thin layer of white glue (like Elmer’s), letting it dry and peeling it off usually does the trick. It’s easier to peel than rubber cement. This is what I do, too. I’ve tried all kinds of things but Elmer’s Glue and a blow dryer works best for getting out those tiny spines. ko, from the desert ---
**Author:** ![beowulff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beowulff/32/542_2.png) [@beowulff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beowulff)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2009, 4:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-remove-micro-splinters-from-your-hands/517778/16 "2009-11-16T16:19:40Z")
I just spend some time under my [Stereozoom](http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://micro.magnet.fsu.edu/primer/museum/images/bandlstereozoom4.jpg&imgrefurl=http://micro.magnet.fsu.edu/primer/museum/bandlstereozoom4.html&usg=__5JUbPPOYZlTmeIeFcX6t2rnxGn8=&h=285&w=280&sz=14&hl=en&start=40&um=1&tbnid=rIq4kU2reC8gnM:&tbnh=115&tbnw=113&prev=/images%3Fq%3DStereozoom%26ndsp%3D20%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DN%26start%3D20%26um%3D1) with some precision tweezers. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2009, 4:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-remove-micro-splinters-from-your-hands/517778/17 "2009-11-16T16:52:12Z")
Duct tape or other sticky tape sometimes works. ---
**Author:** ![Harmonious\_Discord](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/74df32/32.png) [@Harmonious\_Discord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harmonious_Discord)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2009, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-remove-micro-splinters-from-your-hands/517778/18 "2009-11-16T16:55:42Z")
The Elmer’s white glue works. ---
**Author:** ![Mama\_Zappa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/71e660/32.png) [@Mama\_Zappa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mama_Zappa)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2009, 5:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-remove-micro-splinters-from-your-hands/517778/19 "2009-11-16T17:03:04Z")
Soak your hands in water - the splinters may absorb just enough water to swell slightly and be easier to grasp with tweezers. I found just such a microsplinter this morning left over from some gardening; saw it as I stepped into the shower. After I got out, I was able to remove it easily with the tweezers. It was perhaps 1/16th of an inch in length, maybe less. ---
**Author:** ![Harmonious\_Discord](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/74df32/32.png) [@Harmonious\_Discord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harmonious_Discord)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2009, 5:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-remove-micro-splinters-from-your-hands/517778/20 "2009-11-16T17:05:58Z")
> [@Mama\_Zappa](#): > > Soak your hands in water - the splinters may absorb just enough water to swell slightly and be easier to grasp with tweezers. I found just such a microsplinter this morning left over from some gardening; saw it as I stepped into the shower. After I got out, I was able to remove it easily with the tweezers. It was perhaps 1/16th of an inch in length, maybe less. Picking them one by one doesn’t work when you get dozens to hundreds in your hand because you touched something like a prickly pear cactus. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-remove-micro-splinters-from-your-hands/517778.md?page=2)