A tip on removing the capsicum in hot peppers off your hands

[white cloud]

Now I don't normally wear gloves when cleaning hot peppers because it don't bother my hands, just other body parts that my hands WILL come in contact with. My sister from Mississippi called the other day and was begging me for some remedy to relieve her burning hands after cleaning hot peppers. I said; I dont know try milk, vinegar or just wash em real good. She says DON'T ya think I tried washing this **** off?, she was about in tears. Anyway what I told her to try didn't work so she made calls around and found someone who recommended soaking your hands in sugar water for awhile and then rub kosher salt on them when the pain starts to go away. She say's after just a couple minutes in the sugar water, the water started turning green and had to change it a few times. Then rubbed the salt in, and in less than an hour the pain was gone. I should of asked her, on a scale of one to ten what would you consider your pain to be at.? I know she would of hung up on me. Just thought I'd pass this on. I don't know the percentages of water sugar.

 

[scrapiron]

I know that capsicum can be a tough! I took a foam shot of OC directly across the eyes once. I spent the better part of the next couple of hours under a faucet. When I have to spray the OC, I make sure that I wash and rewash my hands prior to going to the bathroom. You really only do make that mistake once.

 

[richtee]

Could be it ran it's course as well. Water turned green? Was she hand crushing them? LOL OUCH!

I can't see any reason that would help..but I'll be dammed if I'm gonna experiment!

Now the salt... salted peppers to me...have less heat. Which chemically makes no sense either I guess.

 

[white cloud]

I think she contacted the voodoo queen herself. They are real close ta nawlins. Beats me

 

[smokin out the neighbors]

I make alot of salsa from the garden. Jalapenos, habaneros, and serannos. I have always used some Fast Orange hand cleaner from out in the garage, and never had a problem.

 

[richtee]

Made for removing oils I assume..and a layer of skin too..can't hurt. Well, much less than the pepper will, anyway ;{)

 

[pitrow]

I always found that a teaspoon or so of sugar helps with the burn when I eat a pepper that's too hot for my palate, so I guess it might work with hands too. I did hear once a long time ago that the sugar does something to neutralize the capsicum. Probably an olds wives tale, but it sure works for my burning mouth.

 

[zapper]

Usually, other than the little nicks or scratches on my hands, peppers don't bother me. But... One time my hands must have been really dried and cracked or soaked in water so much as not to have any protection left in the skin from all of the prep work and washing. The surface irritation was not really the problem, the deep down heat or maybe swelling was like intense arthritius (SP)? or like they had been smashed. Long time healing, maybe 10 hours or more! Hard to think that all that pain comes from a plant.

 

[mavrick813]

I have yet to run into the pepper that causes an irritant to my skin, whether it be a burn or anything.

I have however rubber an eye after dicing habaneros for an ommelette, And well that didn't go over to well. Friend of mine was yelling at me to smear yogurt over my eyes. And that helped alot.

So now whenever I work with Habs I wear shades.

Never heard of sugar water though.

Mike

On a side note, Alot of google pops for Dawn dish liquid 25% to 75% water, as Hot as possible. 7-8 washes should do the trick.

 

[safety1]

As an ex-police officer, we were trained in the use, as well as decontamination methods of pepper spray. The main ingredient is oleoresin capsicum. This being an oil based derivitive, any hand cleaner used to clean up grease or oil, such as the dregreasers used by mechanics will work. If you get it in your eyes, use BABY SHAMPOO that is TEAR_FREE! It must be tear-free! Use copius amounts of water and flush repeatedly, repeating several times.

 

[richoso1]

I hope you're not talking about the Vodoo Queen of New Orleans? She's a bad Mama Jama...