Paint stripper... lovely stuff!

[Donkmeister]

I decided to strip 90 years of gloss paint and varnish off my banisters and ballustrades. Knowing that there were a LOT of coats on the wood, I decided that some sort of paint stripper was in order, so bought a can of Nitromors.

Having once got a dab of this stuff on the back of my hand, I knew it was nasty burning stuff that dissolves most fabrics and rubber gloves. So I opened every window and dolled myself up in...

1) Protective eye-goggles
2) Chemical-handling elbow-length gauntlets
3) Full-length overalls

So everything was covered apart from my nose and mouth...

Having finally reached bare wood I felt a tickle on my top lip and instinctively went to scratch it.

"A-ha, not this time!" I thought as I stopped myself halfway. No way would I accidentally wipe Nitromors on my face whilst scratching an itch!

So, I wiped my mouth on the back of my arm... without checking.

Not realising that I had managed to get Nitromors all over the back of my right gauntlet when I brushed against the ballustrade...

Ouch... Nitromors hurts. Plus it tastes horribly sweet.

I gargled with sunflower oil (because Nitromors is an organic solvent) and stuck a hosepipe in my mouth whilst SWMBO called NHS Direct. They assumed I had drunk it to top myself or get high, and put her through to the National Poisons Information Service!!!

This chap was decidedly concerned and wanted to get me to A&E, but once she had explained "he's probably swallowed about 2 or 3 ml of the stuff, he hasn't been swigging it out of the can!" the bloke at NPIS told us that whilst it stings like hell, it's not actually THAT toxic when you ingest it.

But, a word of caution, it is regarded as highly carcinogenic if you inhale it. So, open those windows!

Anyway, a week later the chemical burns and blisters, both in and around my mouth and nose, had healed. And I will be even more careful next time!!!

 

[CortinaV8]

Ever tried it on metalwork and used a rotary wire brush in an angle grinder?

I haven't

 

[Donkmeister]

Ever tried it on metalwork and used a rotary wire brush in an angle grinder?

I haven't

We have a winner in the "how long it takes to clear the stuff up" stakes!

I hope it didn't get on skin or eyes

 

[CortinaV8]

Just all the way up my arms in little spots

Have you ever seen Lithium or Sodium when it comes into contact with water, if you put a slug into a dish of nitromors a similar reaction occurs.

 

[twedspeed]

So its 1982 i,m 18 and in the back garden of mum n dads house , working on my VESPA 125 I,ve dropped the engine forks tank seat everything and am painting the main body shell of my pride and joy ( going to be silver & chrome all mirrors n lights like stings in quadrophenia)
So I covered all the panels in nitromors which I,d never used before , attatched the rotary wire brush to dads drill - and stood there in cut off jeans and vest !!! not even gloves , blipped the black and decker and set to work ......I was dead impressed is was flying off ....flying everywere.took about 30 seconds for thousands of little specks of nitromors that now covered my entirely exposed body to satrt burning and then I was off dancing up n down the garden trying to wipe it off , but just rubbing it in screaming shouting swearing - straight to the garden hose , managed to wash it off but the damage was done , looked like I,d had a bad dose of the measles .........happy days - thank f*ck I was a spotty teen anyhow. Scooter turned out great .