Not sure if folks are aware of the very real danger (not hand wringing danger) of working with the solvents and cleaners that most of us are using to clean firearms. This is especially true of solvents like brake cleaner and quick scrub bore cleaners and degreasers. Unfortunately most of this stuff easily passes through skin and into the bloodstream where the liver and kidneys deal with it - sometimes with detrimental results.

I know a lot of guys that bathe in Hoppes and the like, but some of the new cleaners are a lot more hazardous. I have always used chemical resistant Nitrile gloves when handling any cleaner or solvent, plus it keeps salts off my firearms.

Might want to look at the MSD sheets on the various chemicals you are exposed to...

Very true. Older formula brake cleaner has a carcinogen main ingredient (tetra-chloro-ethylene) which we actually made in one chemical plant I worked at. The amounts you'd get exposed to via occasional cleaning are miniscule, but safety says always protect both skin and lungs. Eyes, too, for that matter,

Use in a well ventilated area ! Always think of this phrase !
Though we can learn more and more about the chemicals we use how about applying the knowledge.
For those who have Multiple Chemical Sensitivity, [MCS] the modern world is a great danger .Allergy rate and cancer rate has increased 20 % in 10 years ! Thanks to the ever increasing use of chemicals in everything .Many are new and many untested.

It is good to get rid of the solvent soaked patches, paper towels, etc...and not having them lying around sending vapours throughout the room.

Agree!

I NEVER use brake cleaner indoors. Never ever! and I have got into the habit of wearing the nitril gloves when I'm using gun cleaning solvents. Even my mechanic now wears the nitril gloves when working on vehicles.

A warning well taken. Thanks Opus.

My kidneys are in bad shape and I often wonder if gun cleaning products contributed to this.
Now my gun bore's stay not so clean

True. Lot of chemicals we deal with in many ways today.

When I used to work on oil rigs we used tri-chloro-ethane (chlorothane) to cut oil from the rock chips if we got some flourecence. It is banned now due to adverse effect, as was carbon tetra-chloride before that.

Gloves are a great idea.

quote:

Originally posted by Rockdoc:
True. Lot of chemicals we deal with in many ways today.

When I used to work on oil rigs we used tri-chloro-ethane (chlorothane) to cut oil from the rock chips if we got some flourecence. It is banned now due to adverse effect, as was carbon tetra-chloride before that. Gloves are a great idea.

Tri-chloro-ethane (your "chlorothane") is / was Dow brand "Clorothene" . Clorothane (mono-chloro-ethane) blows up and Clorothene doesn't.

I used to be anal about keeping my bores clean. Now I've developed a brain tumor and keeping my bores immaculate is not so important.

Im 82 and used all the bad stuff without gloves, cause I didn't know better but it makes one wonder if some of this stuff, like a famous bandit, getting blamed for stuff he really didn't do...Hell whitebread is a killer in this new society, along with everything we eat.

Ive used a stock finish that contains Tuanol, its sold in all hardware stores, been using it with hand polishing finish for 50 years before I was told its a carcenigen and causes cancer..

we are all put on this earth to die, its just a matter of when..Im just playing the devils advocate..It won't hurt a thing to be careful, but I wouldn't change my lifestyle out of fear.