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My pole has recently started covering my hands in carbon. It doesn't wash off, I tried a nail brush but it didn't shift it. Has anyone got any tips for getting them clean?
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Dirty Carbon Hands
- Thread starter P4dstar
- Start date
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Nudel
Well-known member
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- 1,064
- Location
- Faroe Islands
Spray your pole with clear lacquer or use gloves.
Enjoy having manly hands that makes it obvious you've actually done a good days work. It'll normally rub of during the weekend, just give it some time.
Enjoy having manly hands that makes it obvious you've actually done a good days work. It'll normally rub of during the weekend, just give it some time.
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- 11,273
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- Sunderland Tyne and Wear
Pussy juice works well ? In your circumstances it's probably best to use barrier cream
Suhrly
Well-known member
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- 722
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- North East
Well now we all know what the first thing @Part Timer does when he get's in from work ??
@P4dstar wear gloves dude. I use those cheap Argon style ones from Home Bargains...£1 a pair or something. Nice and thin and also have a good grip on them.
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- 11,273
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- Sunderland Tyne and Wear
Prefer to walk the dog then go on the drink to be honest. When you get as old as me and @Den, him with the dodgy shoulder, neck, hip, knee, ankle and little pinky, dirty hands are the least of our problems.
Moor
Well-known member
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- 338
- Location
- West Midlands
Prevention is always better than a cure, gloves are the best option. However there are a few times I have forgotten mine and have found swarfega works, it’s not 100% but does a better job than just soap.
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- Gloucestershire
Don't worry i'll pop round and ask your wife to help ?
No feeling the gloves idea to be honest man. I use them when its cold but I can't be doing with them every day. Its always been there but its got much much worse since I started servicing the pole regularly
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- 11,273
- Location
- Sunderland Tyne and Wear
Green Pro Clean Ltd
Well-known member
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- 8,103
- Location
- Nottingham & Derbyshire
This is such a simple fix. Hire someone else and let their hands get dirty instead! ?
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- 1,164
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- Cornwall
When using any pure carbon pole they will eventually produce carbon dust – usually not for at least 6 or more months.
Why does this happen? The main production of carbon dust is not from the clamps or the clamping points, despite common misconceptions. The main area of carbon wear is on the inside of each section particularly from the friction between the overlap area at the base of each section as it slides up and down inside the tube. The accumulation of dirt and grit is trapped between the layers and then works like sandpaper on the inside of each section abrading the tube constantly in use.
Why do some carbon pole users experience black hands and other do not? A lot of this issue can be due to environmental factors. Some window cleaner’s work rounds are in less dirty, gritty or sandy environments and so their poles do not pick up the same amount of abrasive dirt. Also, some users naturally clean their pole hose, pole and sections as a matter of course and so do not notice such issues.
How can premature wear be stopped? The best method is to prevent the wear happening in the first place. Whilst it is not possible to stop all such wear the start of this process can be dramatically affected by a careful cleaning and maintenance schedule. Some clients have very little issue with carbon dust production and carbon wear and the main reason is that they keep the pole very clean inside and out from new and they take preventive measure such as using dry-film PTFE spray on overlap areas. Another point to note is that most of the dirt that gets up inside the pole is brought up on the pole hose. So, a valuable practice is to wipe the pole hose as it is coiled up at the end of each job.
As suggested in our pole user guide, fully clean the pole out at least once a week. A simple way to do this is to fully flush the pole through with water from a tap ensuring that water is directed up from the base and flushes between all sections. This should also be done immediately after working in sandy or gritty areas. Then for extra protection the sections can be slid apart, dried off and a thin spray of PTFE spray applied over the main overlap areas. Treated like this from new will dramatically slow down the start of black carbon dust being produced.
When doing this always check that both wraps of overlap tape are in position and in good condition – do not under estimate the effect that these two simple wraps of tape will have on wear. If they are worn or missing replace immediately with fresh tape.
Always keep the clamps adjusted up tightly enough – although clamp wear on the sections will not produce a large amount in the way of wear or dust, if they are kept correctly adjusted it will stop any movement in use which will again cut down on potential wear points or carbon dust production.
Once wear has started what can I do? The same cleaning and protection schedule should be followed as above. Flush, take apart, dry and spray with PTFE spray. If this is done more often as the pole ages, then this will reduce the carbon wear that occurs. Some clients make it a practise to flush the pole section out with water at the end of each day as the pole gets older to better prolong the pole life.
How do I completely avoid getting black hands? The easiest way of controlling this is to wear gloves whilst working. I have worked with carbon fibre poles now for about 15 years and have always worked with some kind of hand protection as a matter of course; the benefit of this is that I never get 'black' hands. Wearing gloves of some sort can form part of a good Method and H&S statement for any contractor as it also protects against contaminants that the hose picks up. When the weather isn’t cold, I wear a pair of disposable Nitrile gloves this also means that I can peel them off and eat my lunch or conduct business with clients with completely clean and hygienic hands.
This allows me to be less methodical about my cleaning and maintenance program and still not have to think about black hands.
Why does this happen? The main production of carbon dust is not from the clamps or the clamping points, despite common misconceptions. The main area of carbon wear is on the inside of each section particularly from the friction between the overlap area at the base of each section as it slides up and down inside the tube. The accumulation of dirt and grit is trapped between the layers and then works like sandpaper on the inside of each section abrading the tube constantly in use.
Why do some carbon pole users experience black hands and other do not? A lot of this issue can be due to environmental factors. Some window cleaner’s work rounds are in less dirty, gritty or sandy environments and so their poles do not pick up the same amount of abrasive dirt. Also, some users naturally clean their pole hose, pole and sections as a matter of course and so do not notice such issues.
How can premature wear be stopped? The best method is to prevent the wear happening in the first place. Whilst it is not possible to stop all such wear the start of this process can be dramatically affected by a careful cleaning and maintenance schedule. Some clients have very little issue with carbon dust production and carbon wear and the main reason is that they keep the pole very clean inside and out from new and they take preventive measure such as using dry-film PTFE spray on overlap areas. Another point to note is that most of the dirt that gets up inside the pole is brought up on the pole hose. So, a valuable practice is to wipe the pole hose as it is coiled up at the end of each job.
As suggested in our pole user guide, fully clean the pole out at least once a week. A simple way to do this is to fully flush the pole through with water from a tap ensuring that water is directed up from the base and flushes between all sections. This should also be done immediately after working in sandy or gritty areas. Then for extra protection the sections can be slid apart, dried off and a thin spray of PTFE spray applied over the main overlap areas. Treated like this from new will dramatically slow down the start of black carbon dust being produced.
When doing this always check that both wraps of overlap tape are in position and in good condition – do not under estimate the effect that these two simple wraps of tape will have on wear. If they are worn or missing replace immediately with fresh tape.
Always keep the clamps adjusted up tightly enough – although clamp wear on the sections will not produce a large amount in the way of wear or dust, if they are kept correctly adjusted it will stop any movement in use which will again cut down on potential wear points or carbon dust production.
Once wear has started what can I do? The same cleaning and protection schedule should be followed as above. Flush, take apart, dry and spray with PTFE spray. If this is done more often as the pole ages, then this will reduce the carbon wear that occurs. Some clients make it a practise to flush the pole section out with water at the end of each day as the pole gets older to better prolong the pole life.
How do I completely avoid getting black hands? The easiest way of controlling this is to wear gloves whilst working. I have worked with carbon fibre poles now for about 15 years and have always worked with some kind of hand protection as a matter of course; the benefit of this is that I never get 'black' hands. Wearing gloves of some sort can form part of a good Method and H&S statement for any contractor as it also protects against contaminants that the hose picks up. When the weather isn’t cold, I wear a pair of disposable Nitrile gloves this also means that I can peel them off and eat my lunch or conduct business with clients with completely clean and hygienic hands.
This allows me to be less methodical about my cleaning and maintenance program and still not have to think about black hands.
adamangler
Wakefield Window Warrior
- Messages
- 4,263
- Location
- Wakefield
Fingerless gloves are the answer.
I always have black carbon hands as I hate wearing gloves, on and off all day then they get wet through.
Found some fingerless ones the other week and I have them on all day no need to take them off and my hands are in much better nick.
I always have black carbon hands as I hate wearing gloves, on and off all day then they get wet through.
Found some fingerless ones the other week and I have them on all day no need to take them off and my hands are in much better nick.
RWCleaning
Well-known member
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- 2,075
- Location
- Bournemouth
Old roofers trick, smear some glue (pva or something similar) over your hands, then stick your hands in a pile of saw dust.
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- 3,957
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- Gloucestershire
Neilmnwc
Well-known member
- Messages
- 214
- Location
- South Lincolnshire
I was wearing the thin Mechanic style gloves but they wear through quite quickly in between the thumb and forefinger.
The best ones for me are 'Cutter' brand leather work gloves, They're usually about £9 and last months. Being leather you hands breath.
The best ones for me are 'Cutter' brand leather work gloves, They're usually about £9 and last months. Being leather you hands breath.
scottish cleaning service
Well-known member
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- 9,075
- Location
- Paisley
https://www.justgloves.co.uk/Nitrile-Gloves/Kooltouch-Powder-Free-Superior-Blue-Nitrile
I wear these gloves below my working gloves and put some powder in. They are thicker than the cheap ones. If its minus then I wear 2 pairs under my gloves. Give them a try and you will wear them everyday to keep the water out. :1f609:
I wear these gloves below my working gloves and put some powder in. They are thicker than the cheap ones. If its minus then I wear 2 pairs under my gloves. Give them a try and you will wear them everyday to keep the water out. :1f609:
jason1965
Well-known member
- Messages
- 158
- Location
- southampton
i have the same problem, best thing i have is one of them stones that people use to remove cigarette stains from there fingers, i think its a pumice stone.
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