Fast Orange hand cleaner from 1999

[Benzadmiral]

While waiting at the Whole Foods yesterday, I popped my hood and cleaned all the leaves out of the gutter below the windshield. My fingers were filthy, so I got out the bottle of Fast Orange hand cleaner I've been carrying around from car to car for quite a while.

First surprise: Instead of being a paste, it had turned to liquid -- it looked and smelled like a cheap orange juice as it emerged from the bottle. It still cleaned my hands, but it was a juice now. I glanced at the label and got my second surprise. Copyright 1999! True, that does not mean I bought the bottle in that year, but it's going to be close. I've been carting this around at least since I had the '86 W126, 1999 to 2004.

Third surprise: On the label it proclaims "Now with Corn Huskers Lotion." I remember ads for that, but is it still around?

At Walmart this morning I picked up a new bottle of Fast Orange. Half the label is in Spanish, of course. But the Corn Huskers text is gone, and now I'm supposed to be impressed with something called MicroGel Technology. Copyright 2019 on this one. Tech Marches On.

I'll put the new bottle into my kit bag in the Buick's trunk, of course, but is it possible the old stuff is still usable for hand cleaning at home?

 

[Kira]

I bet it is. I'd use it until I determined it didn't clean well enough.
Denatured alcohol is the "boss cleaner" in these products.
How the lotion part deteriorates (loosens up and becomes watery) is something I don't have a clue about.

The better part of Fast-Orange and the like is the nail brush you bring to the party.
Those weak soft plastic ones sometimes included on the bottle are near useless.

 

[AutoMechanic]

Haha. When the new stuff breaks down it doesn’t work my dad kept some in his truck and it broke down like water thin and smelt horrible. I have used many hand cleaners and my go to is Zep Cherry Bomb for in the shop. I use others too but it’s still my favorite and can be found at Walmart too. If I was going to keep one in the car it would be the Scott Blue Hand Cleaner or the Purple Power Hand Cleaner but I have many at home and they all work good. We use Cherry Bomb at work too and we have a walnut hand cleaner as well. Post pictures if you can of the two bottles I would love to see the difference.

 

[skyactiv]

Semi mechanic here. We were using Zep Cherry Bomb hand cleaner at work, but we switched to Zep Shell Shock and it works better.
It uses ground walnuts instead of pumice. Cleans faster and more complete in my experience.

 

[AutoMechanic]

Semi mechanic here. We were using Zep Cherry Bomb hand cleaner at work, but we switched to Zep Shell Shock and it works better.
It uses ground walnuts instead of pumice. Cleans faster and more complete in my experience.

The walnut stuff is great too. Used it many times as well.

 

[GSCJR]

Just this week we were talking about hand cleaners at work. I still remember the very first one I used back in high school auto shop, it was called Reach by Zep. We are currently using Fast Orange (w/pumice) out of the pump and Quick Shift (wall dispenser) which has a new name now and has always contained cornmeal IIRC.

 

[AutoMechanic]

At school when the old principal was still there we had a Zep hand cleaner with a baseball on the logo can’t remember what it was. EDIT it was Zep Double Play it worked pretty good. Then after she left the new principal let us get Cherry Bomb which I loved the smell of. At my previous job we had a walnut one and some GoJo. I want to know what that good green GoJo they have in the bathroom at Advance Auto is lol. The cheapest hand cleaners for mechanics by far is Zote and Fels Naptha it cleans hands nicely too. I like the Fast Orange Bar Soap and Lava bar soap too.

 

[nthach]

I remember seeing Corn Huskers lotion a while ago. It was a Parke-Davis brand.

I used to use Fast Orange or Fast Cherry. The Zep stuff from Home Depot works better IMO. In a pinch, WD-40 or Pam to break down the grease and Dawn works good.

 

[PimTac]

Boraxo always worked for me.

 

[AutoMechanic]

I remember seeing Corn Huskers lotion a while ago. It was a Parke-Davis brand.

I used to use Fast Orange or Fast Cherry. The Zep stuff from Home Depot works better IMO. In a pinch, WD-40 or Pam to break down the grease and Dawn works good.

That’s the first I’ve heard of Pam being used. Good to know in case I’m in a pinch. I know carb and brake cleaner work good too but definitely not the best for your hands.

 

[manicrodder]

Just this week we were talking about hand cleaners at work. I still remember the very first one I used back in high school auto shop, it was called Reach by Zep. We are currently using Fast Orange (w/pumice) out of the pump and Quick Shift (wall dispenser) which has a new name now and has always contained cornmeal IIRC.

That’s the first I’ve heard of Pam being used. Good to know in case I’m in a pinch. I know carb and brake cleaner work good too but definitely not the best for your hands.

Your tools won't stick to your hands!

 

[nthach]

That’s the first I’ve heard of Pam being used. Good to know in case I’m in a pinch. I know carb and brake cleaner work good too but definitely not the best for your hands.

I’ve heard of stories of painters at body shops being irritable and quite surly until they dip their hands into a vat of lacquer thinner or reducer. Your body does absorb those chemicals - skin is not a perfect barrier.

 

[Rand]

90$ for 4 gallons.. is that the amazon price, or the regular price?

I dont get too dirty usually. I prefer using nitrile gloves for the messy jobs.. keeps most of it off.

Been using fast orange IIRC around 5$/64oz or 8-9$ for a gallon.

edit: 4.13 for half gallon in 2018.

holy c rap. https://www.fastenal.com/products/details/0635571 250$ for 4... thats nuts. I dont think its 16gallons which would make more sense for the price.. but the weight says 34#

I would love to try that stuff if I could get a quart or half gal for decent price.. even a single gallon.

 

[nthach]

That’s the first I’ve heard of Pam being used. Good to know in case I’m in a pinch. I know carb and brake cleaner work good too but definitely not the best for your hands.

Also, cooking oil. It’s a two-step hand cleanse, the WD-40/Pam/oil breaks down grease, Dawn emulsifies it and rinses clean.

old-school “goop” hand cleaner or the stuff that smelled like parts cleaner solvent or paint thinner was just that - stoddard solvent(paint thinner/mineral spirits), lanolin, glycerin, soap(or surfactants), a little preservative, a little perfume and maybe some pumice.

 

[AutoMechanic]

Also, cooking oil. It’s a two-step hand cleanse, the WD-40/Pam/oil breaks down grease, Dawn emulsifies it and rinses clean.

old-school “goop” hand cleaner or the stuff that smelled like parts cleaner solvent or paint thinner was just that - stoddard solvent(paint thinner/mineral spirits), lanolin, glycerin, soap(or surfactants), a little preservative, a little perfume and maybe some pumice.

I have heard cooking oil cleans them well in particular olive oil. They said it moisturizes the best too.

 

[atikovi]

At Walmart this morning I picked up a new bottle of Fast Orange.

Why not just use gloves like most people, if not for the convenience of not getting your hands dirty, for not letting toxic stuff seep into your skin? Surprised they even have a market for that stuff. I remember Lava soap back in the day. Felt like scrubbing your hands with sandpaper.

 

[GSCJR]

I'm actually still uing Lava, but yes, I wear gloves for messy jobs.

 

[53' Stude]

I'm actually still uing Lava, but yes, I wear gloves for messy jobs.

I always use lava at home and GOJO silver jug hand cleaner we use at the shop

 

[Electromotive]

I bought a dozen or so 10 oz. bottles of GoJo Cherry Gel when Advance Auto clearanced them a couple years ago. It works well. Also bought a container of Zep "TKO" hand cleaner which has not been opened yet.

 

[GSCJR]

Both very good in my opinion. Used "TKO" back in high school auto shop class, oh that smell!