Is there any way to remove black grout from my hands or am I have stained mitts for a month? Should I have worn latex gloves or used a barrier cream?
you should always wear latex gloves (or similar) when grouting as the "antibacterial" stuff they put in it can play havoc with any small cuts and abrasions you may have (thats not a rule , just good advice , from experience)
gloves just end up fillin with grout and water unless you want to work with some that go up to your elbows! i dont use owt but it does make your hands dry and sore a day later if your grouting a big area. and yep just wait a week and the black will wash/wear off, the black stuff is like sodin tatoo ink
the bloke that I learned the "trade" from years ago now suffers from dermatitis as a direct result of not wearing gloves when grouting - I'm not saying it will happen to you , but why take the chance ? If you wear LATEX gloves (like the one they use in hospitals)very little water or grout gets in them but the other , looser types of gloves , obviously will let cr*p in them .
Thank's for the good advice, now where is the number for that nurse I used to know, I'm sure she'll have some gloves I can use.
Hopefully your hands have returned to normal by now; but if not the best thing I have found to solve this issue is sulfamic acid crystals. You can buy these at any home improvement or tile supply shop. Just take a pinch of the crystals in the palmn of your hand and add a few drops of water. Immediatly begin to wash your hands as if with soap and rinse.