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Let's talk about safely handling spills.
submitted over 9 years ago by SteepingTakesTime

I don't think we've talked enough about it, and quite frankly I think it's really important because I'm dealing with it right now. It SUCKS. The last 3 days of my life have been full of headaches both literal and figurative.

Here's what happened: I bumped my flavor storage shelf and a dram of NN Banana Cream Pie flavoring hit the floor and shattered. I'm fortunate enough to have a room dedicated to making juice and the floor is made of tile, so it's fairly easy to clean up...or at least so I thought...

I've been having to wear a respirator ever since because I can't get it to go away. It's truly amazing how something so small can cause a 200+ pound man to drop to his knees. Here's the worst part. The smell of banana is so deeply stained into my nostrils that I can't fucking taste ANYTHING. I never thought bumping my elbow into a shelf could cause me to lose my sense of taste. Science is fucking weird. I must say I'm glad I always err on the side of caution so I had PPE ready to go on a hangar in the room.

What chemicals do you use for cleaning up spills? What kind of hardware? Do you have a "oh shit" protocol? I had to make it up as it happened and I don't feel like I've successfully handled this issue.

So, Reddit, let's compile a proper list of things you should have on hand to clean up concentrated flavorings as well as nicotine. The last thing this industry needs is some DIYer dying because they didn't wear gloves or a respirator while cleaning a bunch of spilled nicotine.

TL;DR - Concentrated flavorings are much more potent than you think. Treat them with respect and wear safety equipment.

Comments
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15 points
 
by CosmoVerdeover 9 years ago

I have no idea what you could do to clean it up so I'll offer some comedic relief

Get your self a mop and mop bucket. The kind that squeezes the mop. Both should be new and clean, but it's optional. Next, fill bucket with desired PG/VG ratio. Us PG/VG blend to mop floor.

Don't let your flavoring go to waste! Dip your rda into the bucket when you're done. Prolly enough juice to last a week!

7 points
 
by Clyde_Diedover 9 years agoFrugivore

Use mop as wick!

8 points
 
by CosmoVerdeover 9 years ago

He's not a barbarian!

1 points
 
by eVapouratedAUover 9 years agoOne of "The Damned"

Comedic relief = delivered

9 points
 
by Enyawreklawover 9 years agoCreator - Best Recipe of 2015: Rhodonite

My apartment still smells like a carnival after I spilled a mix I made live on stream.

3 points
 
by Fizzwidgyover 9 years ago

You hold live streams of mixing?

2 points
 
by Enyawreklawover 9 years agoCreator - Best Recipe of 2015: Rhodonite

yup. every friday on my channel.

2 points
 
by newphreakover 9 years ago

haha, how's that nicdick? that was a funny oh shit moment, and I've done the same myself.

1 points
 
by poundfoolishhhover 9 years ago

You were making a juice that smelled like carnies, beer and peppers and onions?

Either I'm going to the wrong carnivals or you're on some next level shit.

1 points
 
by WhoInvitedChrisover 9 years agoProud Sidebar Reader!

Where would one go to watch your live stream and what time is it typically held? I'll be off tomorrow and I'd love to watch a more experienced diyer mix up some juice so I can learn a thing or two.

1 points
 
by Empty_0neover 9 years ago

[DIYorDIE Youtube Channel] (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCFoe3PEb1_7sAY1ZgehNP3A/featured)

1 points
 
by WhoInvitedChrisover 9 years agoProud Sidebar Reader!

Thank you!

5 points
 
by VeganPropagandistover 9 years ago

That sucks. Never had a flavor spill issue personally, most of my flavors come re-bottled in plastic. I did have that one bottle of Lemon Sicily in the hard, shiny plastic bottle decapitate itself while trying to unscrew the lid but that was more annoyance than nuisance, really.

For random drips on my work surface, I just wipe up with a napkin and call it a day. I'm a really bad example though, I don't even wear PPE when handling 100mg/ml nic, though I know I really should.

Good luck, duder.

4 points
 
by SteepingTakesTimeover 9 years ago

That's all I did yesterday was move all my shit that was in glass to 30mL boston round squeeze bottles. I wouldn't wish this burden on anyone. It fucking SUCKS.

8 points
 
by coop34over 9 years ago

50/50 mix of vinegar and water sprayed directly on the spill should help to neutralize the smell a little faster. It stinks too, but should be gone in a day or so.

Alternatively, a liberal sprinkling of baking soda should absorb the odor too. May need to vacuum and reapply 2 or 3 times.

3 points
 
by Clyde_Diedover 9 years agoFrugivore

Vinegar is an awesome neutralizer. Shit does stink though haha

1 points
 
by VeganPropagandistover 9 years ago

The struggle is real. I personally HATE glass bottles as I mix by weight, so having to pipette every single flavor is a real bummer. I've actually purchased "replenishment" flavors in squeeze bottles, not because I was out, but because I fucking hate having to use pipettes and syringes.

3 points
 
by Qualitykualateaover 9 years ago

+1 for a bottle decapitating itself. FA joy is fucking intense.

1 points
 
by Binsky89over 9 years ago

I don't wear gloves when handling my nicotine either, but I probably should. It's in a big 120 ml glass jar, so it's unlikely to spill. I take it out of the fridge, put the nicotine in the bottles, and put it back in my fridge. I figure getting a tiny bit on my finger probably won't hurt.

5 points
 
by vigg-o-ramaover 9 years ago

Banana is one of the worst ever to spill. I think I read that one drop of banana ester in 50 gallons is detectable by the human nose.

Sorry, that sucks that it was the banana that broke :(

Fans, open windows, bleach, incense, sell your home to a banana lover?

3 points
 
by elephantrainbowsover 9 years agoOne of "The Damned"

I use alcohol based cleaners like isopropyl alcohol or window cleaner, lots of ventilation with open windows and fans, and throw out all paper towels/sponges instead of trying to wash them. That and time. Though I've never broken an entire dram.

1 points
 
by broslikethisover 9 years ago

I second this. We regularly use isopropyl for spills in our lab. Does away with any smell as far as my senses can tell.

1 points
 
by JohnLaCuentaover 9 years ago

> ventilation

This is the answer he's looking for, should be at the top. Alcohol to clean the actual spill and lots of ventilation.

2 points
 
by probywan1337over 9 years agoI will rip you a new one if you don't use the sidebar & search.

The other night I had a cap bust on tfa marshmallow while I was smelling it. A lot of it ended up in my nose and mouth. I now have a small blister on my tongue and can't taste much atm :/

I have no idea how a flavoring can cause this. I was really surprised

2 points
 
by 2_minutes_in_the_boxover 9 years ago

Resolve carpet cleaning spray cleans everything and there is no smell. I use it on tile, counters, floors, etc. My cat had a peeing problem and it smelled like fucking cat piss ammonia ALL THE TIME until I tried the resolve on it. Miracle worker.

2 points
 
by DiscardedAngelover 9 years ago

Crisco. You can do anything with crisco

2 points
 
by squiredover 9 years agoMixologist

That might actually work. Encapsulating it rather than cleaning it is definitely worth a shot.

2 points
 
by DiscardedAngelover 9 years ago

I was making a joke, but actually I think you're right lol

2 points
 
by squiredover 9 years agoMixologist

To be fair, that's how Resolve and many other cleaning products work. You spray them on, brush them in, they break down the material with alcohols, then everything is encapsulated as it crystallizes. Finally, you vacuum it up and throw it away.

Crisco could totally work, maybe even better in this case, but I'd test Resolve on a tile outside first as it may work better and failure would be easier to cleanup. ;)

1 points
 
by GrandMixMasterFlashover 9 years ago

Spills are the worst, especially dragonfruit...... I thought I ruined my house.

1 points
 
by SNOTFANover 9 years ago

I keep mine in a big bag on the bottom shelf of a cabinet so nothing falls, not sure how easy that would be to clean up! I'd imagine keeping a window open in the room with a fan blowing towards the window would clear out at least some of the stink.

1 points
 
by CosmoVerdeover 9 years ago

I have no idea what you could do to clean it up so I'll offer some comedic relief

Get your self a mop and mop bucket. The kind that squeezes the mop. Both should be new and clean, but it's optional. Next, fill bucket with desired PG/VG ratio. Us PG/VG blend to mop floor.

Don't let your flavoring go to waste! Dip your rda into the bucket when you're done. Prolly enough juice to last a week!

1 points
 
by CosmoVerdeover 9 years ago

I have no idea what you could do to clean it up so I'll offer some comedic relief

Get your self a mop and mop bucket. The kind that squeezes the mop. Both should be new and clean, but it's optional. Next, fill bucket with desired PG/VG ratio. Us PG/VG blend to mop floor.

Don't let your flavoring go to waste! Dip your rda into the bucket when you're done. Prolly enough juice to last a week!

1 points
 
by ljab26over 9 years ago

I spilled just under 30ml of 100mg and didn't consider doing anything out of the norm. Grabbed a bag and a roll of PT. Wiped it down dry then used cleaning products to wash the area. All went well for the most part. The only thing I would have done differently if I could was wearing a respiration mask( which I don't own) because I got a nic high that kept me dizzy for an hour.

1 points
 
by Kittenyberkover 9 years ago

I spilled 10ml of tfa cheesecake into the carpet in our spare room last year.

It was... regrettable.

Ended up making a paste using a shitload of biological laundry powder and hot water and scrubbing the carpet as clean as possible.

Got it from awful to an indistinct unpleasantness, but we did move house, so I'm happy to say that cured the smell.

1 points
 
by poundfoolishhhover 9 years ago

It'll eventually evaporate off and go away. I have a guy at work that was getting into DIY and I brought him some tobacco flavors I never use. On cue, he drops one within 10 seconds of me giving them to him and it smashes. The room smelled like a fresh cigarette pack for like two weeks.

-1 points
 
by Orriblekuntover 9 years ago

Ethanol/everclear. Juice making means you can apply to the government for an alcohol license, because being an inhaled product you can say that isopropyl is not clean enough for sanitising food grade products. You have to buy it buy the 200l drum, but it is only about 2$/Litre and then you have 200 litres of 99.6% ethanol which works great on stinky spills. I was literally mopping with it (active respirator).

-2 points
 
by CosmoVerdeover 9 years ago

I have no idea what you could do to clean it up so I'll offer some comedic relief

Get your self a mop and mop bucket. The kind that squeezes the mop. Both should be new and clean, but it's optional. Next, fill bucket with desired PG/VG ratio. Us PG/VG blend to mop floor.

Don't let your flavoring go to waste! Dip your rda into the bucket when you're done. Prolly enough juice to last a week!

-3 points
 
by CosmoVerdeover 9 years ago

I have no idea what you could do to clean it up so I'll offer some comedic relief

Get your self a mop and mop bucket. The kind that squeezes the mop. Both should be new and clean, but it's optional. Next, fill bucket with desired PG/VG ratio. Us PG/VG blend to mop floor.

Don't let your flavoring go to waste! Dip your rda into the bucket when you're done. Prolly enough juice to last a week!

-3 points
 
by CosmoVerdeover 9 years ago

I have no idea what you could do to clean it up so I'll offer some comedic relief

Get your self a mop and mop bucket. The kind that squeezes the mop. Both should be new and clean, but it's optional. Next, fill bucket with desired PG/VG ratio. Us PG/VG blend to mop floor.

Don't let your flavoring go to waste! Dip your rda into the bucket when you're done. Prolly enough juice to last a week!

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