Swarfega - wassup?

[vxh26]

I was trying to replace my now empty tub of "Green" Swarfega when I discovered that there are now a number of variations on the theme - Classic, Orange, Lemon, Power and Heavy.

 

Is there any real reason to choose one over the other? In what way do they actually differ?

[Didescharlie]

Can just imagine a load of prissy garage mechanics umming and aahing over whether to choose orange or lemon...

[Ootohere]

Looks clear enough, buy the one or more that suits your needs.

http://swarfega.com/home/products/hand-cleaners

Edited 24 February, 2016 by GoneOffskiroottoot

[Coops]

Has been for years, varieties I mean.

I used to work for them.

[Auric Goldfinger]

I was trying to replace my now empty tub of "Green" Swarfega when I discovered that there are now a number of variations on the theme - Classic, Orange, Lemon, Power and Heavy.

 

Is there any real reason to choose one over the other? In what way do they actually differ?

 

Perhaps it's now edible 

[Skodub]

I like the orange one with grit in it.

[Outofthi5world]

There's an alternative orange one called Go-Jo. Its good but I don't know how good swarf is these days. I know it's the only thing that can remove lime stone dust from tractor windows.

[mac11irl]

There's an alternative orange one called Go-Jo. Its good but I don't know how good swarf is these days. I know it's the only thing that can remove lime stone dust from tractor windows.

Good to know - m car is destroyed from the access roads weve built for my bridge projects last couple of months

Swarf used to be brilliant, but last tub of i got you could tell the H&S bods had been at it... not nearly as fast to clean hands with it.

The gritted stuff is the best imo...

[fabiamk2SE]

Swarf used to be brilliant, but last tub of i got you could tell the H&S bods had been at it... not nearly as fast to clean hands with it.

The gritted stuff is the best imo...

Absolutly agree.

The tub we had for years (probably nearly as old as me tbf) was great. Got anything off.

The newer stuff doesnt seem half as good.

Or maybe my hands are twice as dirty

[LGM]

We use swarfega heavy and it's brilliant, certainly removes all the oil and everything else off the hands no problem, as stated above it has grit it in. We've also got that go-Jo and to be honest it's got no competition over swarfega. Getting a decent barrier cream is a good option as well, makes it that little bit easier when giving the hands a good scrub when cleaning.

[stevobeavo]

I just use washing up liquid and sugar theses days. Works just as well as the orange swaffega lol.

[Jrjg]

I just use washing up liquid and sugar theses days. Works just as well as the orange swaffega lol.

That's my method, or washing up powder.

If something is seriously sticking then I use petrol.

Although just recently I had the fun of staining my hands with oak sap/acid after it had taken it's toll on the log splitter and the crow bar. That stuff did not come off no matter what I tried. Fairy liquid and sugar, petrol, turps, sandpaper.. Maybe I should buy myself some swaffega.

JRJG

[fabiamk2SE]

That's my method, or washing up powder.

If something is seriously sticking then I use petrol.

Although just recently I had the fun of staining my hands with oak sap/acid after it had taken it's toll on the log splitter and the crow bar. That stuff did not come off no matter what I tried. Fairy liquid and sugar, petrol, turps, sandpaper.. Maybe I should buy myself some swaffega.

JRJG

Uh i know what you mean there! Ive had that before, it just doesnt come off. Nightmare.

That was a few years ago n i think ive still got abit left on my hands

[VWD]

I just use washing up liquid and sugar theses days. Works just as well as the orange swaffega lol.

My concoction of choice when I worked on my old bangers was a mixture of whatever SWIMBO had stored under the kitchen sink.

[BJM]

An old tip from a mate who had developed contact dermititis which was made worse by Swarfega (other hand cleansers are available) and strong detergents such as washing liquid was to use cooking oil and sugar.

It works, but takes 2 goes instead of one.

[Jrjg]

An old tip from a mate who had developed contact dermititis which was made worse by Swarfega (other hand cleansers are available) and strong detergents such as washing liquid was to use cooking oil and sugar.

It works, but takes 2 goes instead of one.

I developed a small patch of contact dermatitis just recently due to wearing gloves at work, it's basically the skin drying out, the solution was to moisturise the patch twice or so a day. It was only minor however.

I would suspect that swarfega and other cleaners strip the oil from the skin, engine oil, grease etc, but also the natural oils, leading to the drying of the skin and therefore dermatitis / eczema possibly.

JRJG

[SuperbTWM]

At work we use a pre-work barrier cream, and an after work cream which helps prevent the skin drying out from washing them so much using Swarfega

[Clunkclick]

I've got a virtually untouched 30 year old tub under the kitchen sink, should I take it to Sotherby's or Cash in the attic ?

 

 

Nick

[Coops]

I've got a virtually untouched 30 year old tub under the kitchen sink, should I take it to Sotherby's or Cash in the attic ?

 

 

Nick

 

Neither - it's constituent ingredients have probably split by now.

[Clunkclick]

Yup, just took the lid off and its now the consistency of primordial slime.

 

So that's binned and a small pump action replacement ordered from the SAC. Not that I  use it that often now, for health protection, tend to go for nitrile gloves. But there's always occasions when they are not robust enough.

 

Nick

[FlyingGecko]

Yup, just took the lid off and its now the consistency of primordial slime.

 

 

It's always like that.

 

Lovely stuff.

[Gil8338]

I once made the mistake of using Hobright thinking it was jif/cif liquid. Over the next week or so I shed a skin 10 little snakes would have been proud of! It's not ever been allowed in the house since........

[mac11irl]

I once made the mistake of using Hobright thinking it was jif/cif liquid. Over the next week or so I shed a skin 10 little snakes would have been proud of! It's not ever been allowed in the house since........

Ohhhhhh....... thats not good!

[DanGum]

We use the orange one with grit in it, decent stuff works well

[Tamber]

tend to go for nitrile gloves. But there's always occasions when they are not robust enough.

Tangentially, my workplace recently started buying vinyl gloves as a replacement for nitrile (...well, okay, as a replacement for the latex ones they got when they ran out of nitrile ), and I really really like them.

 

They're a lot tougher than nitrile; and don't tend to 'stick' as much to one's hands. (Or maybe that's just me and my mucky mitts...)

 

Y'know, for what little it's worth. :sun: