I went for a long walk this morning, all the way to the bank on Delaware and back. This may have been ill-advised, since it was bastard hot and because I wore flip-flops (aka ‘thongs’ to the aussies). Probably because, you know, I like to live on the edge.
By the time I got home, some 2.5 hours later, the soles of my feet were very sore. Almost sore enough that I didn’t want to look at them in case they were bleeding. (Thankfully, they were not).
Cut forward about 3 hours. I drove to the hardware store and bought some ‘industrial strength’ concrete cleaner. This stuff is designed to remove any stain from concrete and blacktop, which means to me that it should do the same to paint. You see I want to clean the grit off our front steps to prepare it for a new coat of paint. I already tried sanding it off with little success. So I have to resort to a powerful, chemical solution.
I got home and immediately poured a bunch of it on the steps, deliberately ignoring the suggestion to test a small amount somewhere unobtrusive. This stuff is powerful! It instantly lifts stains that the sander had no effect on. And I mean instantly. I’m pleased.
But, entrepreneur that I am, I’m wearing flip-flops again. Safety warnings be damned! Especially the one about the stuff touching your skin 🙂
Invariably, during the sloshy cleanup, some of the stuff (even in a dilute form) gets on my feet. Specifically between my sole and the flip-slop. I don’t see this happening, but holy cow do I feel it.
I burned! And I mean burned like fire! I hastily grabbed the hose and blasted my foot. And even then it took a few seconds for the pain to subside. I think it must have thought the top layer of my skin was grit to be removed, and was doing it’s best to take it off.
The moral of this story? Take your pick of three:
– follow all safety precautions or
– don’t wear flip flops when pouring acids on the floor or
– keep a hose handy at all times 🙂