Working in the detailing industry, as a professional or a hobbyist working only on your own vehicles. You are going to be exposed to a variety of chemicals ranging from liquids to vapors. It is very important to properly protect yourself while working with or around these chemicals. In some cases, issues caused by repeated exposure to chemicals will not show up for lengthy period of time. It is critical to be aware of the chemicals you’re dealing with. It would be a good idea to keep or at least look at the MSDS sheet (Material Safety Data Sheet) for the chemicals you keep on hand or deal with on a regular basis. The MSDS sheet will provide important information regarding the chemical you are dealing with, including toxicity, storage, health effects, protective equipment that should be used and quite a bit of other useful information.
You should always wear a good pair of gloves when you are handling chemicals, as they do more than keep your hands clean. While chemical exposure may not be harmful immediately, repeated exposure may lead to serious health issues that will vary depending on the chemicals you have been exposed to. The Premium Black Latex Gloves available through Detailed Image work great when working with most of the chemicals we deal with on a regular basis. These gloves are heavier and more durable then gloves you can buy at most of the big box stores, the fingers are constructed to a .7 mil thickness and meet the ASTM D3578-99 standard which is the standard specification for rubber examination gloves. Unlike most latex gloves I have used in the past, you can use these gloves multiple times without them tearing.
Depending on the chemicals you are using, wear long sleeves when using some chemicals such as wheel acids or other strong chemicals that can irritate your skin if using outdoors on windy days, as the product could blow back on your skin or even worse into your eyes. While I am sure very few of us wear safety glass while working, it is always a good idea to be aware of the conditions that you will be working in. If you are working outside on a windy day be smart, avoid touching at your face or around your eyes and always try to spray in the direction the wind is blowing so the product is not blowing back on you.
This is just beginning to scratch the surface of precautions to take while doing work. While it may not seem like it, you are around and handling many chemicals which can have longer term effects on your health. Be smart about how you are working now, as it could very well effect how you are able to work in the future.