I had a big bottle of Zep which I am so glad is finally done (not empty, mind you, but the last inch in the bottle has become too oxidized and semi-solid to make it through the pump siphon). I want to try something else, but I can’t find anything in the hardware stores, and there are so many products online I don’t know which one to try. I need something to take off dirt, not grease, and to not make a mess of its own while doing so.
Zep worked well enough at removing the dirt, but no matter how careful I was, globs of it would splash around the sink and I would have to take an extra step of spraying cleaner and wiping down the sink area. I would like to avoid that. Also the last bit in the pump would tend to harden, and then come out in a splat.
I also liked that Zep rinsed off easily, so I would like to replicate that quality as well.
I liked the citrus formulation, again because it seemed to work. But the unpleasant consistency and tendency to oxidize and harden are things I don’t want to go through any more.
Other caveats: pumice in the formula is OK, but not walnut shells, because I am allergic.
I still have a bar of Lava soap from forever ago that’s been on the utility sink, so I have brought that in for the interim, but it’s messy and not very convenient.
I guess you’re looking for hand cleaner? You should be able to find alternatives at O’Reilly’s, Lowe’s or Home Depot. Simple Green and GoJo are popular alternatives. Get small sizes until you find one you like.
If you’re not looking for serious grease removal like you’d need a mechanic’s hand cleaner product (Gojo, Goop or Fast Orange) for, and you’re just looking for actual dirt removal (like you were working in the yard or something), I’d just get a bottle of cheap dish detergent and use that, with a small container of the mechanic’s hand cleaner for the times when you DO need to clean greasy hands.
Seconded. I wouldn’t go too cheap (like no dollar-store off brands), but products like Dawn and Ajax can cut through deep dirt just fine. They’re not bad against grease, either, for that matter (though not abrasive).
Best way to clean deeply dirty hands with dishwashing liquid: Get used to using a little more than you think. Might need a teaspoon or so. For actual grease like after working on a car, I’d probably dump that to a tablespoon.
Anyway, before applying water, you completely coat your soiled hands in the dishwashing liquid. Rub that around vigorously … and THEN put your hands under running water. Regular ol’ yard dirt will come off first time. Brake-job grease might require a second application.
I’m not familiar with Zep orange, but Fast Orange doesn’t dry out my hands like dish soap does (FO is jam-packed with lanolin); sometimes after rinsing, I’ll do a quick Ivory soap auxiliary wash and I’m good to go. My only complaint: the lid is tough to get off. A little more thought and I’m sure I’ll come up with a solution eventually.
In my job, my hands get all different kinds of dirty: paints and stains, grease and oil, sap and sawdust etc. Cherry bomb never fails and it smells good and has moisturizer.
The best thing about fast orange is you can find most anywhere: walmart and auto parts stores usually carry it.
I learned of it when visiting filthy factories for a job. There are often big, circular, foot operated sinks with a hopper of dry handsoap in the center. You’d wiggle a handle back and forth to dispense some soap. Six or eight people could wash their hands at one sink.
I’ve never used Zep Orange so I can’t give a direct comparison. Cherry Bomb has some sort of petroleum solvent in it which is why (I think) it cuts through everything. This may be too much cleaning power for the op.
Fast orange, which I assume is like Zep Orange, uses citric acid as it’s solvent. Not quite as strong but still very good.
I think I would like to steer clear of petroleum solvents as well, for the sake of my skin.
To be clearer if I can, what I didn’t like about the Zep Orange was the gloppy, gluey, messy texture. Now I’m thinking maybe I should switch my dirty-hands washing from the bathroom to the utility sink, where the messiness will be less of an issue. Anyway, I’ll probably try Fast Orange because it seems to come in smaller containers to start.
I’d love to find one of those old metal Boraxo dispensers and use that, it would be cool. I found a vintage one on Etsy for $195, I don’t think I want one that much. There are some new powder soap dispensers in the $30-$50 range, maybe I’ll check out one of those.
Not being a chemist, I did a little research, and you are correct. Limonene (or pentene as it’s listed on the bottle) is made from the peels of citrus. Citric acid comes from the juice. TIL