The use of potassium salt of permanganate acid, or potassium permanganate, has become widespread in everyday life due to its antiseptic properties. It is used to treat wounds and scratches, remove age spots from the body, and remove calluses and warts. A solution of manganese is used in gynecology for the treatment of the external genitalia. During application, unforeseen situations occur, as a result of which glass containers containing the substance are broken, the solution is spilled, or the powder is scattered. Stains form on hands and clothes that need to be removed. We have to look for something to wash potassium permanganate from the skin.
Preparatory stage
The appearance of a brown or red spot on the skin indicates not only its coloring, but also a burn that occurs as a result of contact with permanganic acid. If the concentration of the substance was small, then it simply penetrates the skin through the pores and stains it. If a manganese crystal that has not dissolved in water gets on the skin, it can cause a burn.
To effectively remove stains, it is necessary to prepare the skin so that the stain can be washed away quickly without damaging the skin. At the initial stage, the skin is thoroughly washed with a soap solution until the water stops turning pink. Then, using a hard sponge or other abrasive, remove the keratinized top layer of skin as a result of a burn or staining. You must act carefully so as not to damage the integrity of the skin. At the final stage, you can begin to eliminate stains.
You can wash potassium permanganate off your skin using ordinary running tap water. However, this process is lengthy and takes at least two days. For lack of time, use the following available methods:
Why are potassium permanganate stains so persistent?
Potassium permanganate is a proven disinfectant. The brightness of its spots is determined by the chemical composition of the substance. It strongly eats into skin, fabric and various surfaces. After just a couple of minutes, the traces oxidize in air and turn brown. Simply washing them off with soapy water will not work. More effective methods are needed.
Potassium permanganate pigments are very durable
Folk remedies
At home, many different effective remedies are used that can quickly remove potassium permanganate from the skin. The most commonly used recipes are:
- Rub laundry soap, pour boiling water over it, stir until smooth. Add ordinary baking soda and a drop of any available essential oil to this solution. The mixture is mixed well, applied to the stain, left for a few minutes, and then rubbed thoroughly with a soft brush. After this procedure, it “turns pale.” When using the mixture in several stages, the brown spot disappears.
- Another recipe is used based on laundry soap, which is mixed with mustard powder and an ammonia solution is added. This mixture removes manganese stains well and is also an effective cleaning agent.
- Add lemon juice or edible citric acid to warm water. The solution is applied to the skin in damaged areas and then washed off thoroughly. Lemon pulp also gives a good end result. It is used to directly wipe the dark spot, as a result of which it gradually becomes discolored and disappears over time.
- Hydrogen peroxide in combination with table vinegar gives a quick effect, but this remedy must be used carefully. It can cause additional harm in the form of a burn. It is not recommended to use the composition for children. The ratio of substances should be the same.
- Any alcohol solution available in your home medicine cabinet will help you wipe off potassium permanganate from your skin. In its absence, use vodka. This is the safest way to deal with stains. Use boron, formic and other alcohol solutions. They are capable of removing large and heavily colored burns. These products are also used for children, which is evidence of their safety. To achieve the desired result, wipe the stain several times with an alcohol-containing product.
- Vegetable oil is mixed with mustard powder and applied to the burn. This product helps remove small stains.
- Ammonium sulfide consists of crystals that are dissolved in water. The resulting mixture is wiped over the affected areas.
- Some types of hairspray will fade stains. This product is used as a last resort, in the absence of other materials.
- Fresh green cucumber gives a good whitening effect. The peel is used to wipe damaged skin, and the pulp is ground, a little lemon juice is added and applied as a mask to the resulting stains. After drying, the mixture is removed.
- If pumice is not available, clay is used, which is diluted with water, mixed until smooth, and then rubbed onto the required areas of the skin until the paint comes off. In addition, this material is used in the form of a compress. To do this, the clay is brought to a “sour cream” consistency, applied to the stains and covered with polyethylene. This cleaning method is suitable for hands and face: the mixture is secured on the hands in the form of a bandage, and applied to the face as a mask.
It is best to carry out all procedures in the bathroom. These options are used to cleanse the skin and hands, face, back, and chest.
What to consider when removing potassium permanganate stains
When processing different surfaces, you need to remember your hands. If you have to work with aggressive chemicals, you must wear protective gloves. They will protect delicate hands from dryness, irritation and possible allergies. When removing stains on your own, you need to soberly assess the situation and the possibility of accidentally ruining the situation, changing everything for the worse.
Note! Sometimes it’s worth putting people’s advice aside and going to the dry cleaner if you need to return an expensive item to its previous condition, since there is the option of completely ruining it, putting it in such a state that even a special service cannot help.
In general, potassium permanganate is a caustic substance that can be removed by simple folk remedies. The main thing is to start removing it right away, so that there is the greatest possible chance of correcting the situation quickly. Otherwise, there is a risk of leaving a small mark on things after the cleaning procedure.
Cleaning your fingers
It is especially difficult to wash stains from hands, since manganese stains nails and penetrates the cuticles. If you need to wash off potassium permanganate from the skin of your hands, the best results are achieved using:
- Lemon peel to rub on your nails. The citrus pulp is placed in a small container, where the colored fingertips are placed. This action can be repeated to achieve a positive result.
- Washing powder and detergents. However, a greater effect comes from the use of products containing chlorine. After using this method, the skin becomes dry and tight, so it is recommended to lubricate it with a rich cream or glycerin. This method of removing stains is used extremely rarely.
- Oxalic acid removes both fresh and old stains.
Lemon juice
If you happen to have lemon in the refrigerator, it can also help get rid of potassium permanganate stains. Just cut it into slices and rub it on your skin, then wash your hands well. You can also replace juice with citric acid. Prepare a solution of 1 teaspoon of this powder and 100 grams of water, then treat the contaminated areas with it.
Chemicals
Substances that have a chemical basis will help you wash off potassium permanganate from the skin of your hands; they are classified as potent. If the use of folk remedies does not give the expected result, then the following compositions are used:
- Solvents based on acetone or white spirit. Both substances dissolve paints well. White spirit or kerosene are gentler on the skin, while acetone is more toxic.
- The disinfectant chloramine is a derivative of ammonia, due to which it has a bleaching effect.
- Chlorine-based products, such as bleach. They are able to lighten not only things, but also characteristic manganese stains.
- Stain removers used to remove paint from clothing. These products first dissolve the dye and then bleach it.
All these drugs cannot be used in pure, undiluted form, as they are very aggressive and can cause even greater harm to already damaged tissue. With their help, you can remove a stain from the skin, but in its place a more serious type of injury may appear.
This method of removing stains is unsafe, so first you need to check the body’s reaction to the use of chemicals. If they do not cause redness or an allergic reaction upon contact with the skin, then their use is possible. Otherwise, you need to choose another option.
In the absence of contraindications, these products are used to wipe the affected area, and the procedure is repeated several times if necessary. It is not recommended to hold a tampon on the affected area for a long time, as these substances can cause skin irritation and provoke inflammatory processes.
For the most part, they are used to remove old stains, when manganese has penetrated deep into the skin, and the use of other means does not give the desired result.
To avoid drying out the skin and flaking as a result of such cleansing, you should use a nourishing cream each time , applying it in a thin layer.
Radical methods
If folk remedies do not help, then you can remove potassium permanganate stains with bleach or solvent. But keep in mind that such substances are extremely aggressive. And chemical burns often appear after them. Therefore, resort to liquids only as a last resort. Also, do not apply pure bleaches or solvents to your skin. They should be diluted with water in a 1:1 ratio.
To remove pink stains, soak a cotton swab in diluted solvent or bleach and dab onto the stained areas. After this, wash your hands with soap several times and be sure to lubricate your skin with a rich cream.
Alcohol
- Using a cotton pad well soaked in liquid, carefully rub the traces of potassium permanganate, repeating this procedure several times, remembering to rinse with water so as not to damage the skin.
Lemon
The juice of this fruit contains acids that perfectly whiten the skin and remove traces of potassium permanganate. In addition, lemon helps remove pink stains from under your nails. How to wash potassium permanganate from your hands using juice? Cut a piece of fruit and wipe the problem area with it. Repeat the procedure if necessary. If there are no fresh fruits, then replace them with citric acid. Dilute 1 tsp. substances in 0.5 cups of water and treat the skin with the resulting liquid. Finally, wash your hands with detergent and apply cream.
- Ascorbic acid. You can purchase a ready-made injection solution, or take ascorbic acid powder and dilute it with water. This product is not very aggressive, but if you wipe dark traces of potassium permanganate with it several times a day, the result will be clearly noticeable.
- Mustard powder and sunflower oil. If the marks are small, they can be removed using a paste of these products: rub the stains with the mixture, wash your hands and apply a nourishing cream.
A mixture of mustard powder and oil acts as a scrub on the skin.
- White spirit will help lighten traces of potassium permanganate. After rubbing the problem area, use a cotton pad soaked in the product and then rinse it with water several times.
Solvents, vinegar, alcohol, hydrogen peroxide and other substances must be handled with extreme caution. Under no circumstances should they be left on the skin for a long time; the consequences can be negative, ranging from an allergic reaction to a chemical burn to the skin, which is much more unpleasant than a potassium permanganate stain.
It is important to remember that after using any of the products, it is necessary to protect the skin with a rich cream, since they all dry out the skin very much and peeling may begin.
If you were unable to wash off the potassium permanganate the first time, then you need to wash your hands more often during the day and after a while repeat the procedure again. But do not use several products at the same time. It’s also good to develop the habit of working with dyes while wearing gloves, and then there will be no problems with stains of brilliant green, potassium permanganate or traces of iodine.
Washing off the face
Sometimes it becomes necessary to wash potassium permanganate off your face. This drug is often used for inflammatory processes on the skin of the face, pustular formations, acne, as it has natural antiseptic properties. Manganese has long been used in cosmetology and produces the expected results. However, its use is associated with side effects. A crystal of permanganic acid that does not dissolve in water, when it gets on the skin of the face, causes a chemical burn and a dark spot appears. Potassium permanganate can be washed off from the skin:
- Tap water and laundry soap.
- A solution of ascorbic acid, which is used to wipe the burn. To achieve the desired result, the procedure is repeated the required number of times.
- Squeezed lemon juice.
- Dairy products in the form of yogurt, sour cream or kefir. They whiten well, moisturize at the same time and are completely safe for the skin. Sour cream or kefir is applied to the face and washed off after a few minutes. If possible, the procedure is performed in a lying position.
Experts do not recommend cleaning your face from stains using solvents and alcohol solutions. The skin on the face is delicate, so the use of such aggressive drugs can cause additional burns, which will leave consequences in the form of scars.
After any type of cleansing, the face is washed generously with water and moisturizer is applied.
Some people recommend using potato juice. However, practice has shown that such a recipe only worsens the situation, since starch, in contact with manganese, stains the problem area. The brown color takes on a blue tint, which is far from the natural complexion. The spot, on the contrary, becomes more visible.
The simplest and most harmless method
There is a fairly widespread myth that potassium permanganate is never washed off the skin with plain water. However, in practice it has been verified that you can get rid of stains without using special products. True, this process will take a lot of time - usually at least a day. If you have so much free time, then simply wash your hands every hour with running water, without using soap. Potassium permanganate dissolves quite well in water, so such repeated exposure can help get rid of its traces on the skin.
General recommendations
To avoid staining or burning your hands, you must use gloves whenever you come into contact with potassium salts. This will help eliminate all negative consequences from direct contact of the substance with unprotected skin.
For cosmetic purposes, the drug is used pointwise, applied directly to an inflamed abscess or other affected area, without allowing high concentrations. Taking the necessary precautions will help avoid unwanted consequences. Now you know how to wash potassium permanganate off your hands at home in a fairly short time and you can deal with unnecessary pigmentation yourself.
Degree of skin injury
In case of chemical injuries, it is important to determine the level of damage, because further actions will depend on this. The classification of burns is as follows:
- First degree. The redness is weak, almost imperceptible swelling and pain;
- Second degree. The swelling becomes more noticeable, the skin takes on a bright red color, and blisters with clear liquid begin to form at the site of the injury, the pain brings considerable discomfort;
- Third degree. Deep tissues are affected, the resulting blisters will be filled with cloudy, dark or bloody fluid;
- Fourth degree. Muscle, bone, fatty tissue, tendons and ligaments are injured.
A burn with potassium permanganate most often acquires the 1st and 2nd level of damage.
Laundry soap
Simply washing your hands with this soap is sometimes not enough to completely remove stains. A “cocktail” of baking soda and soap, grated and mixed with a small amount of warm water, comes to the rescue. Stir the mixture with a whisk until you get a homogeneous paste. Add 2 tablespoons of soda to it, and to enhance the effect, dilute with 2-3 drops of essential oil. Rub your skin with the resulting mixture several times, and do not forget to wash your hands thoroughly after achieving the desired result.
Chemistry to help
If the above-described remedies do not produce the desired effect, you can try to wipe off potassium permanganate stains with a more active solvent, White Spirit.
White Spirit
This paint and varnish solvent perfectly removes stains and discolors potassium permanganate residues. To apply to the skin, you can use a cloth or cotton wool.
Note! In everyday life, the product is used quite often: to clean hands from paint or superglue, to clean windows from polyurethane foam and plastic window sills from silicone.
