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'It Says Clean Right On The Bottle:' Mechanic Gets a Big Mac For Lunch. Then He Shows How He ‘Washed’ His Hands

"Adds to the flavor and keeps that immune systems working."

How to Clean Hands

Photo by: Unsplash.com

Steve Ecker

By: Steve Ecker

Sep 20, 2025 at 9:00pm ET

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A mechanic is going viral for revealing an unusual way that mechanics will wash their hands before eating.

In a TikTok that’s generated over 773,600 views as of this writing, Mallards Auto (@Mallardsauto) showcases how brake cleaner can be used to “clean” hands.

“Mf’s will wash [their] hands like this n go eat a McDouble,” Mallards Auto captions the post.

The mechanic demonstrates how spraying brake cleaner can remove oil and grime from dirty hands.

The mechanic applies spray to both hands, then proceeds to rub them together. The brake cleaner begins to separate and remove the thick oil from his hands. After quickly rubbing his hands on his clothes to dry them off, he shows that his hands are mostly clean of oil.

Viewers chimed in, adding commentary around the unconventional way to “wash” your hands.

“It says clean right on the bottle,” one TikTok commenter said.

“If it don’t come off on my pant leg it ain’t coming off on my burger,” another shared.

“Adds to the flavor and keeps that immune system working,” a third joked.

While other comments mentioned the potential pain if there are any nicks or cuts on one’s hands before applying the product.

“That’ll find cuts you never knew existed,” one said.

“Then suddenly you realize your hand has a cut,” another mentioned.

“God forbid you have a single scratch on them hands,” a third replied.

What Do Mechanics Wash Their Hands With?

In the viral video, the mechanic is seen using a brake cleaner to clean his hands. The brake cleaner being used was Gunk Non-Chlorinated Brake Parts Cleaner. This product was intended to clean brake pads, rotors, and calipers.

The powerful spray quickly dissolves and flushes brake fluid, grease, brake dust, and oil contaminants. Additionally, the brake cleaner says it’s fast drying and leaves no residue.

While this product was intended only to be used on brakes, mechanics use it to clean their hands, as Mallards Auto demonstrated.

Is It Dangerous to Wash Your Hands With Brake Cleaner?

The bottle does have a danger warning. This warning states the product is flammable, poison, and may cause skin irritation, serious eye damage, blindness, and death if swallowed. For any contact with skin, the safety data sheet advises one to rinse off the product with plenty of water. If skin irradiation occurs, get immediate medical advice.

The company recommends wearing skin protection like chemical-resistant gloves and clothing to avoid dangerous skin contact.

Moreover, a mechanic shared how he ended up in the hospital for 10 days after using Holts brake cleaner. “The brake cleaner chemically burned my skin to the point of allowing a bacterial infection to get under my skin and spread. Whilst my body was fighting this, a previously suppressed virus (undiagnosed) took hold and made blisters all over my body, I was in absolute agony for 10 days,” he says.

Brake cleaner contains chemicals that are hazardous and dangerous, so it’s best to avoid using brake cleaner to “wash” your hands.

How Do You Wash Oil Off Your Skin Safely?

Regular soap simply isn’t up for the job to remove oil from your hands, Arnold & Kin shares. Here are some potential alternatives to brake cleaner for washing oil off your skin.

Soap containing pumice: Pumice is a type of volcanic rock that effectively removes oil and grease due to its porous nature.
Citrus-based cleaners: These cleaners contain d-limonene, which is a naturally occurring solvent found in citrus fruits that can easily cut through grease.
Dawn dish soap: While this was made to wash dishes, Dawn works surprisingly well at removing oil from hands.
Coffee scrub: coffee grounds can act as a natural scrub and be used to remove oil from your skin.
Baby oil: Fight oil with oil by using baby oil to dissolve motor oil while washing with regular soap.
Olive oil: Like baby oil, olive oil can dissolve motor oil. It also contains antioxidants and vitamin E, which are beneficial for the skin.

Clean hands shouldn’t mean having to expose yourself to dangerous chemicals to remove oil. Using the alternatives listed above can remove oil from your hands safely.

What do you think?

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Motor1 has contacted Mallards Auto via TikTok direct message. The story will be updated if it replies.

Update Sept. 24, 2025: In a statement to Motor1, Mallards Auto said, "I didn’t expect [the video] to get so much attention. At the end of the day, I just like showing the lighter side of being a mechanic and connecting with people who share the same passion for cars."

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