Please, PLEASE read this if you use BRAKE CLEANER

[Partyvan]

Like many of you, I was never afraid of it. The odd splash never did any harm. I used it for general degreasing around the garage and inside cars, it's great for getting anything oily off pretty much anything.

2 weeks ago I got a splash on my arm, thought nothing of it. 2 days after that it was a pink patch. 2 days after that it was small blisters which gradually erupted and spread.

I've just got out of hospital after 10 days of morphine-beating pain. The brake cleaner chemically burned my skin to the point of allowing a bacterial infection to get under my skin and spread. Whilst my body was fighting this, a previously suppressed virus (undiagnosed) took hold and made blisters all over my body, I was in absolute agony and hell for 10 days. Endless needles, tests, biopsies, pills etc. I also had an allergic reaction. It's the worst experience of my life and I'm still suffering.

In short, don't take this stuff lightly like I did. Treat it like anthrax. Be safe.

[The Rotrex Kid]

Wow man. That’s crazy, hope you’re better now. I actually sprayed myself in the eye with some a few months ago!

[r159]

Was it chlorinated or non-chlorinated as the composition is very different, can you tell us the brand?

[AdamIndy]

Wow. That’s horrible to hear. I genuinely hope you’re on the mend!

I’ve used it for years and even used it to clean oil/grease and general crap off my hands. Who’d have though it could be so dangerous?

Hopefully recovery isn’t too far away Mate!

[Grayedout]

What about Carb Cleaner? Is that similar?

[kev b]

I had heard tell of people who were seriously poisoned after welding parts that were still wet with brake cleaner, supposedly generating a kind of nerve gas.

[Partyvan]

It was Holts brake cleaner.

Apparently you can tolerate an amount of it before your body labels it as an allergen and starts reacting.

I honestly never had an issue with it in 20 years of using it, till recently.

Wouldn't wish it on my worst enemy

[darreni]

kev b said:

I had heard tell of people who were seriously poisoned after welding parts that were still wet with brake cleaner, supposedly generating a kind of nerve gas.

https://www.brewracingframes.com/safety-alert-brake-cleaner--phosgene-gas.html

It’s nasty stuff.

[320d is all you need]

Not nice. A speedy recovery. Used brake fluid reasonably often, never had an issue myself, but I tend to wash it of within 10/15 mins if possible.

[John Locke]

A speedy recovery, and thanks for the warning.

[ThumperMc]

Did it end up turning into cellulitis?

[PurpleTurtle]

Crikey, thanks for posting. I noticed a sticky caliper on the family mum truck at the weekend, I'm going to replace it this week and will be using my regular brake cleaner. I don't take as much care with it as I should, will do in future.

[littleredrooster]

320d is all you need said:

Not nice. A speedy recovery. Used brake fluid reasonably often, never had an issue myself, but I tend to wash it of within 10/15 mins if possible.

Not brake fluid - the OP referred to brake CLEANER.

[320d is all you need]

littleredrooster said:

320d is all you need said:

Not nice. A speedy recovery. Used brake fluid reasonably often, never had an issue myself, but I tend to wash it of within 10/15 mins if possible.

Not brake fluid - the OP referred to brake CLEANER.

Sorry - yes I am aware. I simply wrote fluid when I meant cleaner

[Partyvan]

ThumperMc said:

Did it end up turning into cellulitis?

Yes thats the one.

[darreni]

Ouch, i had that in my ear a few years ago, ended up on an antibiotic drip in hospital for a couple of days. I've never felt pain like it.

[Old Merc]

Partyvan said:

Like many of you, I was never afraid of it. The odd splash never did any harm. I used it for general degreasing around the garage and inside cars, it's great for getting anything oily off pretty much anything.

2 weeks ago I got a splash on my arm, thought nothing of it. 2 days after that it was a pink patch. 2 days after that it was small blisters which gradually erupted and spread.

I've just got out of hospital after 10 days of morphine-beating pain. The brake cleaner chemically burned my skin to the point of allowing a bacterial infection to get under my skin and spread. Whilst my body was fighting this, a previously suppressed virus (undiagnosed) took hold and made blisters all over my body, I was in absolute agony and hell for 10 days. Endless needles, tests, biopsies, pills etc. I also had an allergic reaction. It's the worst experience of my life and I'm still suffering.

In short, don't take this stuff lightly like I did. Treat it like anthrax. Be safe.

Bloody hell Partyvan, that was a nightmare, never heard of that sort of thing, ever.

I better check my Will? I`m retired now. I had my own workshop business for 25 years. We used to spray it over brake linings every service, lots of different uses, must have used a couple of hundred gallons ??

[Patch1875]

Remember the old days working in the dealers when you would spray it on someone’s back and light it.

Hope your on the mend op

[Partyvan]

Over a month after the incident and im still struggling. Woke up this morning with my fingers interwined and grating against each other, fingers are blistered and hands are swollen like baseball gloves. Itchy doesn't begin to cover it!

[matchmaker]

Grayedout said:

What about Carb Cleaner? Is that similar?

Carb cleaner is nasty stuff. It melts latex gloves.