The guide / Part II · Gear & Buying Guides

Chapter 11

PPE Buying Guide

None of this needs to be exotic — it's the same category of gear as any allergen-handling shop task, chosen deliberately rather than improvised. Revisit Chapter 2 for the reasoning; this is the shopping list.

ItemWhy
Nitrile gloves (box, not a pair)Changed often — contaminated gloves are a transfer risk, not a barrier
Long-sleeve shop coat or dedicated apronKeeps urushi off street clothes and skin at the wrist/forearm
Particulate dust mask / respiratorFor sanding sessions — wood dust and mineral abrasive dust, not urushiol vapor specifically
Barrier cream (optional, supplementary)Extra margin on exposed skin; not a substitute for gloves
Vegetable/olive/salad oilFirst-pass cleanup of uncured urushi from skin, tools, and brushes before soap
Turpentine or alcoholTool and surface cleanup
Dedicated waste bag/containerContaminated rags and gloves shouldn't go in general household trash uncontained