Rubber gloves for mechanics have been around for probably 40 years now. Any mechanic with 2 brain cells left, uses gloves, if not to prevent contact with chemicals, just to keep their hands clean after doing the job. Just because they use a harmful product without PPE and they're living perfectly fine means nothing.
Could brake cleaner be absorbed through the skin
- Thread starter alcyon
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I have worked in chemical labs for almost 40 years. Most exposure hazards are chronic in nature. Chronic exposures over years or even decades is where the real dangers lie. One time acute type exposures rarely cause issues, unless of course someone is literally overcome somehow. The OP should not stress too much. Simply avoid it with PPE and ventilation next time and all will be OK.
Sounds to me like signs of central nervous system depression caused by exposure to toxins. But what do I know? Call a Poison Control Center for advice if you are worried and if there is one. If your symptoms linger you should worry.
I normally limit skin contact with nasty chemicals using gloves. Unless I'm using an EPA gas container pour spout to spill gas all over myself gassing something up. 
I have just retired from a shop job. I get queasy if I breathe too much brake clean. At the job I just had, guys would use brake clean to clean brake fluid on the floor. I told them that brake fluid is water soluble. I always use water to clean. When I do use brake clean, I try to ventilate freely. Or not stink up in an enclosed space. I was never thrilled with guys spraying excessive amounts of it.
I worked with a guy that would use compressed air to blow off brakes....... Another shop guy would hose off the brakes with water, and squeegee into a floor drain. The last two were over thirty years ago.
I have just retired from a shop job. I get queasy if I breathe too much brake clean. At the job I just had, guys would use brake clean to clean brake fluid on the floor. I told them that brake fluid is water soluble. I always use water to clean. When I do use brake clean, I try to ventilate freely. Or not stink up in an enclosed space. I was never thrilled with guys spraying excessive amounts of it.
I worked with a guy that would use compressed air to blow off brakes....... Another shop guy would hose off the brakes with water, and squeegee into a floor drain. The last two were over thirty years ago.
Yes it can be absorbed through the skin, also breathing in the fumes can cause harm especially with prolonged exposure even more so in a poorly ventilated area.
With that being said you might want to contact your doctor, explain the situation but this could be a completely unrelated health issue you are experiencing.
With that being said you might want to contact your doctor, explain the situation but this could be a completely unrelated health issue you are experiencing.
yes
If it was chlorinated no, you’re not going to absorb enough through your skin to notice it, it has a lethal dose of “>10000 mg/kg (dermal, rat).” The non chlorinated stuff is mostly naptha, heptane, and isopropyl alcohol. Same thing, not going to absorb enough through the skin to notice.
Breathing it though, that’ll definitely do it.
Breathing it though, that’ll definitely do it.
I agree with your sentiment
But I look at some aging YouTube mechanics, and my dad who was in the business in the 70s-80s
And I get concerned about long term chemical exposure
Older mechanics all seem to have the shakes (watch their hands)
I'm told the chemicals that used to be in brake clean caused it, a long with some nasty cancers
Nevermind the asbestos, and the general carcinogenic greasiness of a shop setting
I'm taking PPE more seriously these days, and I'm only buying non chlorinated low VOC brake cleaner
As to your particular series of events, probably more an issue of breathing it in than skin absorption
Maybe use a little less next time, or in a more well ventilated area
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Yikes.
ls1mike
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It probably explains the reason I am the way I am... LOL
I try to wear some type of PPE when I use it. Not sure it matters after living
on the boat for months on end with diesel, amine, hydraulic oil, asbestos and various other things.
One time? You might have something else going on. Seems like a pretty big reaction for a minute of use
the day after. You probably inhaled a lot more than was absorbed.
I try to wear some type of PPE when I use it. Not sure it matters after living
on the boat for months on end with diesel, amine, hydraulic oil, asbestos and various other things.
One time? You might have something else going on. Seems like a pretty big reaction for a minute of use
the day after. You probably inhaled a lot more than was absorbed.
You really shouldn't get any organic solvent (C based) on your skin. Period. Slow or fast, absorbed or not. It's not natural and not good for you.
Ford owners manuals of a certain vintage warned of sickness when exposed to washer fluid/gas/ethanol/methanol or flex fuel if taking "medication for the treatment of alcoholism"
(Read: Accutane)
Because any of these liquids can be absorbed by the skin, contact with it would make you quite ill (as a deterrent to drinking
)I learned a lot that day about liver/kidney damage because of chemicals absorbed through the skin
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On the flip side there is one example where I have to don on the respirator. My neighbor. He's a professional gardener and runs the dirtiest leaf blower in the world. He runs an Echo PB-400 and he uses the cheapest 2-cycle oil he can get at an overly rich 40:1 mix ratio. If I'm in my house and I hear that thing fire up, I immediately start running around the house shutting all the windows as fast as I can. If I'm outside and I need to stay outside, I get my respirator.I agree with your sentiment
But I look at some aging YouTube mechanics, and my dad who was in the business in the 70s-80s
And I get concerned about long term chemical exposure
Older mechanics all seem to have the shakes (watch their hands)
I'm told the chemicals that used to be in brake clean caused it, a long with some nasty cancers
Nevermind the asbestos, and the general carcinogenic greasiness of a shop setting
I'm taking PPE more seriously these days, and I'm only buying non chlorinated low VOC brake cleaner
As to your particular series of events, probably more an issue of breathing it in than skin absorption
Maybe use a little less next time, or in a more well ventilated area
I have four blowers myself and two of them are Echo. I run the fuel/oil mix 50:1 and I use a full synthetic oil. My blowers run extremely clean and they don't put out any fumes that are the least bit perceptible. I can run them all day without any need for a respirator. My neighbor has a plethora of health problems; one of them being a pulmonary disease that causes phlegm to build up in his lungs. I have told him several times until I'm blue in the face what the cause of his pulmonary disease is, but he won't have none of it.
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