Stove fuel stinking me out

[Weesi]

Hi guys,First post !!..
About time I started posting lol
It's not everywhere you can start a fire so I carry my fuel stove for grub time when I can't.
I know from lurking on the board you guys use all sorts of different fuels for your liquid fuel stoves. Ranging from Petrol, Paraffin, Meths etc... They all smell fairly strong though.
My question is what is the best way when you're out to get rid of the smell from your hands when you're out and about?
I used to quite like the smell of fuel but when I'm out camping with my stove I seem to stink to high heaven and the usual scrub up sometimes doesn't suffice. You can still smell it clinging to you.
Surely I'm not the only one that doesn't like it and has come up with a way of dulling down the smell left on your hands.
Any help or suggestions would be great guys

 

[Wayland]

Alcohol hand cleaner works pretty well.

I use it when I get Diesel on my hands and if it'll shift that it'll shift most things.

 

[Ogri the trog]

Hi guys,First post !!..

My question is what is the best way when you're out to get rid of the smell from your hands when you're out and about?

Ermmm, how about changing your fuel handling regime,
perhaps a different stove where you don't have to handle the fuel every time you want to use the stove. There are a few stoves which use pressurised containers of liquid fuel (often with the ability to use several different fuels) such as you have mentioned.
I must admit to not being a fan of liquid fuel so I don't feel entirely qualified to answer..

But welcome to the forum anyway.

ATB

Ogri the trog

 

[Wayland]

Oh yes, should have said that, welcome to the fold.

 

[Weesi]

Thanks for the replies guys!.. And thanks for the warm welcome too!.. This is a great community you guys have got here
Yes I dare say I probably have myself to blame to a point with getting fuel where it shouldn't be lol It's an MSR stove I have but splitting the bottle/pump from the stove when moving, you still get a little residual on the fuel line.
But hey It's better to have a full belly than staying clean sometimes...
Alcohol hand cleaner will be packed for my next trip though. I'll have a look for some next time I'm out in town.
It's amazing the smell you get from even the smallest amount of fuel, even residual amounts you didn't see can stink to high heaven.
Cheers guys!..

 

[Mike Ameling]

When you are looking for your alcohol hand cleaners, check at a computer store or print shop. They all carry them for cleaning up after you change/refill ink cartridges. That ink is hard to get off without those "hand sanitizers". And they are already in nice neat foil pouches.

Also check out the baby products and medical supplies offerings. Some of the pop-up moist towelettes are actually alcohol soaked tissues - just in larger quantities than the single tissue packets from the computer stores.

And practice helps with filling/refilling that stove. Each time you do it, it gets a little easier, and a little less messy.

Mikey - that grumpy ol' German blacksmith out in the Hinterlands

 

[Aragorn]

have you thought about maybe wearing gloves when removing the fuel bottle, something like the thin medical type gloves wouldn't take up any room in your kit, or even the free disposable gloves you get on garage forecourts, there there to keep your hands clean when filling the car, why not when filling a stove

oh and welcome to the site

 

[Tadpole]

I use cheap liquid soap, and a pinch or two of sawdust/sugar. Oh and I'm careful when using/charging fuel

 

[Weesi]

have you thought about maybe wearing gloves when removing the fuel bottle, something like the thin medical type gloves wouldn't take up any room in your kit, or even the free disposable gloves you get on garage forecourts, there there to keep your hands clean when filling the car, why not when filling a stove

oh and welcome to the site

Good call We've got thousands of them at work for handling glass(They get all bothered if you fingerprint stuff)
Yeah never even thought.
I think with more use and practice I'll manage not to spill so much too!...
Thanks for the input guys. Really appreciate it

 

[John Fenna]

My most used stove is a woodburner (hobo) and I love the smell of the fuel - burned and unburned!
I also like the smell of meths - but I guess I am a bit wierd .......

 

[Rothley Bill]

Oh I dont know John, I find the smell of a meths stove very comforting and not just because it means there's a brew on the way

 

[EdS]

SWMNBO say I tend to smell of diesel or kerosene when left to my own devices so its not something I notice really.

 

[rik_uk3]

Hi guys,First post !!..
About time I started posting lol
It's not everywhere you can start a fire so I carry my fuel stove for grub time when I can't.
I know from lurking on the board you guys use all sorts of different fuels for your liquid fuel stoves. Ranging from Petrol, Paraffin, Meths etc... They all smell fairly strong though.
My question is what is the best way when you're out to get rid of the smell from your hands when you're out and about?
I used to quite like the smell of fuel but when I'm out camping with my stove I seem to stink to high heaven and the usual scrub up sometimes doesn't suffice. You can still smell it clinging to you.
Surely I'm not the only one that doesn't like it and has come up with a way of dulling down the smell left on your hands.
Any help or suggestions would be great guys

Are you using car petrol by any chance?

 

[Weesi]

Yeah been using unleaded in my MSR...
It's maybe not the best as it's very combustible lol
Why Rik?

 

[rik_uk3]

Yeah been using unleaded in my MSR...
It's maybe not the best as it's very combustible lol
Why Rik?

The smell off car fuel is awful, it lingers on for ever, plus the addatives throw out fumes you don't want to inhale, and will clog up your stove sooner or later.

Coleman fuel is too expensive in the UK, so I use panel wipe (5 litre tins from any good motor spare shop) which is like Coleman, or I use Aspen 4T. The Aspen fuel is pure as well, good for your stove and if you spill it (or the panel wipe) it evaporates quickly leaving no stink.

http://www.aaoil.co.uk/environment-Aspen-4T-alkylate-petrol Give them a ring and ask about local stockists.

 

[Barn Owl]

My most used stove is a woodburner (hobo) and I love the smell of the fuel - burned and unburned!
I also like the smell of meths - but I guess I am a bit wierd .......

Woodstuff and petrol,aye..but meths!
Hate that smell...

 

[novembeRain]

I have a msr dragonfly, they all use the same pump and pipe fitting. If you read the instructions you'll find you can leave the pump in the bottle.

mine's got a tap at the pump and one at the stove, I'd imagine the best way would be to turn the bottle's tap off while it's running, then the one at the stove and disconnect the pipe and leave the bottle pressurised, it shouldn't leak.

Or, each time you go to the petrol station, get some of those plastic gloves, they're free and don't weigh anything / take up any space. you could also use them for skinning / gutting to save some of the mess.

 

[Nonsuch]

I'll second what Rik_uk3 says about unleaded - bad for you and the stove. I switched to Aspen 4T and no more nasty smell

 

[Weesi]

Good call guys!... I'll get on it about the Aspen... Sounds great!..
And yeah NovembeRain I'll try not disconnecting the pump cause as you say it's leaving it pressurised. Cheers fella

 

[Ex Member - Sidney Bounty]

I went from whitegas to propane no smell no mess