Hello,

I don't think vinegar causes the same risk as acetone and other similar solvents when it comes to removing epoxy from skin. As I understand it, the issue with acetone especially is that it is such a powerful solvent for oils that it carries epoxy through the skin essentially by dissolving skin oils on the way through. Vinegar is, I suspect, not capable of doing the same trick because it is a poor solvent for oils.

Consistent with this thought, I found the following on a supplier website:

"Vinegar is an effective and safe solvent for cleaning tools, brushes and most surfaces contaminated with epoxy resin or hardener. Vinegar is particularly recommended for cleaning any residue off human skin, rather than acetone; both liquids will dissolve the resin, but the resin/acetone solution can easily pass through the skin and enter the bloodstream, unlike vinegar. Citrus-based, waterless hand-cleaners will hep to remove fresh resin from the skin. One should always follow the initial removal of epoxy from the skin with washing with soap and water."

It is still a better idea to keep it off skin in the first place. But if I had to remove it from skin, I would definitely prefer vinegar to solvents like acetone, and it might be safer than some waterless cleaners as well. At least some of them contain alcohol which, although not a powerful as acetone, would still likely carry dissolved epoxy through skin more effectively than vinegar.

By the way, although I have found vinegar to be extremely effective for removing mixed epoxy from tools, but with the epoxies I have used, it does not work with unmixed components.

My two bits worth.

Allan Edie