Cheap (i.e. FREE!) / organic hand cleaner

The traditional shop hand cleanup (at least in the 60s/70s) was with 'Boraxo&tm;', a mix of pumice, and ordinary soap. Good stuff and the abrasive pumice does a good job of removing embedded grit, however I always found it not so great for removing engine or bicycle grime and it tends to be pretty drying due to removal of skin oils.

During the '80s 'waterless' hand cleaners came along and have become far and away the more popular solution. I've never been all that fond of these, they work by using an oil based approach, oil dissolves oils well and they are very effective at removing grime. However, the waterless cleaner itself is nearly impossible to remove with soap and I have never been fond of the chemical smell that remained after, or the feeling of the residue.

My solution for the last year has been to re-use my espresso grounds. Grounds from drip process coffee works fine also, although the finer grind of espresso works best.

The oil from the coffee beans works well for dissolving grease and oil and the coarse nature of the coffee grind is nearly as good an abrasive as the pumice in Boraxo&tm; To use it, take a couple of tablespoons or espresso-puck of used coffee grounds, rub them into your hands, adding some water from the faucet to help lubricate the process.

On rinsing off the grounds, you should see most of the grime removed from your hands. If I've been working on a particularly dirty project, I will need a second application. Now wash with ordinary hand soap of your choice. Some of the oils from the coffee will probably be left behind but I don't mind those.

Of course if you're not so big on the scent of coffee, this may not be a great solution for you!