Have you harvested some unripe walnuts and for this reason you cannot avoid removing the green outer shell? Now you're sitting in front of your laptop with unsightly brown fingers and wondering how to get rid of the color? This guide gives you several tips and tricks on how to get your hands clean after shelling walnuts - and also how to prevent such a scenario in the future.

The soft shell of the walnuts stains heavily

Green outer shell causes brown discoloration

When the walnuts are fully ripe, the green outer shell falls off on its own, exposing the kernel, the nut. However, if you harvest unripe walnuts, you are forced to remove the shell yourself - with your own hands. In their zeal, many hobby gardeners forget to adequately protect their “tools” during the act. The result is fingers with a brownish-black discoloration that just won't go away, despite intensive hand washing.

Note: You owe the stubborn brown stains to the tannic acid that escapes. Discoloration can also occur during harvesting (without peeling).

Tips and tricks for cleaning your hands

Once the "damage" has been done, there are a number of ways to get rid of the dirt. Here are some tips and tricks:

  • Buy a cleaning paste with fine scouring particles at the hardware store. However, the remedy is not particularly skin-friendly, you should be aware of that.
  • A suitable peeling from the drugstore is a more skin-friendly variant.
  • You can also create your own peeling: mix a heaping tablespoon of sugar with olive oil (enough to form a paste). Rub your hands as hard as you can tolerate in terms of pain.
  • Many cooks recommend rubbing fresh lemon juice on hands immediately after gardening (harvesting or shelling walnuts). Simply squeeze a lemon and then massage your hands vigorously with the juice.
  • Margarine and butter are also considered effective. Carefully rub your hands with the fat for a good two to three minutes. Then wait five minutes. Lastly, clean your hands with warm water.
  • Wait two to three weeks without taking any special measures. The skin flakes off - this also means that the dark spots disappear.

Effectively prevent brown fingers in the future

Always wear gardening gloves when working with walnuts. There are also models for latex allergy sufferers.

Category:

Vegetable garden