Oil, Fuel, and Chemical Resistance

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When you’re working around oil, fuel, solvents, and chemicals, glove failure isn’t just annoying — it’s a safety issue. Not all disposable gloves provide the same level of resistance, and choosing the wrong material can lead to breakdown, leaks, or skin exposure.

Understanding what your gloves are resistant to — and what they aren’t — matters.

Oils, fuels, and chemicals can:

• Break down weak glove materials
• Cause swelling, softening, or tearing
• Soak through porous gloves
• Irritate or damage skin over time

A glove that looks fine at first can fail minutes into the job if it’s not designed for chemical exposure.

Nitrile gloves are widely used in automotive and industrial environments because they provide strong resistance to many common shop chemicals.

Nitrile Is Highly Resistant To:

• Motor oil & transmission fluid
• Gasoline & diesel fuel
• Grease & hydraulic fluids
• Brake fluid
• Many solvents and degreasers
• Petroleum-based products

Nitrile maintains its strength and flexibility when exposed to oils and fuels, making it the preferred choice for messy, high-risk jobs.

No disposable glove is chemical-proof. Nitrile can degrade when exposed to:

• Strong acids or bases
• Certain ketones (like acetone)
• Aromatic solvents (like toluene)
• Prolonged chemical immersion

For these applications, specialized chemical-resistant gloves are required.

Material matters — but thickness matters too.

• Thinner gloves break down faster under chemical exposure
• Thicker gloves provide longer breakthrough times
• 5mil and 7mil gloves last significantly longer than 3mil in oily environments

If you’re constantly changing gloves mid-job, increasing thickness often solves the problem.

Compared to nitrile:

• Latex can swell and weaken in oils and fuels
• Vinyl offers minimal chemical resistance and tears easily

These materials may be fine for low-risk or dry tasks, but they are not ideal for automotive or industrial chemical exposure.

Ask these questions before choosing a glove:

• What chemicals am I handling?
• How long will the gloves be exposed?
• Am I splashing or fully immersing my hands?
• Do I need dexterity or maximum protection?

For most automotive and shop environments, mid- to heavy-weight nitrile gloves provide the best balance of protection and usability.

If you’re working with oil, fuel, or shop chemicals, nitrile gloves aren’t optional — they’re essential.

Choose the right thickness.

Change gloves when compromised.

Protect your hands like the tools they are.