I just signed up for a cake decorating class, and I made my first buttercream frosting. I put some color into it and its a nice pink color. I got some of the pink coloring on my hand actually its on my thumb. I used dawn dishsoap to remove it but you guest it my thumb is pink. I look like I have been hitchhiking.

Not to worry! Other bakers will recognize you as one of their own. Wear it as a badge of honor!

I can get color off my hands by using Clorox Ultimate Care Bleach.

Won't that burn your hand? I mean the Clorox. I was quite happy with the frosting thankfully I only used a tiny bit of color. Practice makes perfect.

I often have pink or red thumbs but black is definitely not pretty! To help minimize this I have learned to coat my hands with a light sheen of shortening before applying color. This is especially helpful when coloring fondant. When you are done then just wash your hands well with warm water and soap and about 95% of the color comes off right away. HTH

After I've colored fondant my hands look like they've been in a knife fight...and the black...well, just keep your nails short, otherwise it looks like you've been digging up the yard. It all washes away fairly quickly...maybe because I wash my hands a LOT...but it doesn't stain forever.

Comet, Barkeeper's Friend, nail polish remover, or repeated washing usually takes care of it. The toughest part is getting it out from under your fingernails.

We all have gloves (or should have if we own a business) right in our reach, but we never use them. I get the color just from opening the jar of coloring. I know before I go to the drawer and I just don't do it.

I let it wear off.

I too, usually just ignore my chronically-stained hands and just let it wear off. But one trick (ideally right away) is to coat your hands in Pam and rub that in then wash that off.

Then there's the shoes, cupboards, floor.
Last week I was coloring with black. Don't ask me how this happened but I walked into the other room to get a towel and I had black circles all over my floor . I obviously flicked black somehow on the floor and continued to drag it through the kitchen. Boy was my floor a mess. Never mind my hands

I am grateful that the color didn't go all over my hands. I am very new to cake decorating and I haven't even had my first class yet. It looks like I will get use to having colors on my hands. I am grateful that the BC frosting was a hit.

LOL I don't even worry about that anymore. Comes with the job/hobby. I just got done doing a tie-dye cake and my hands were very psychedelic-looking afterwards. I usually take a shower when I'm done and by the next couple of hand washings it's gone.

Around my nails usually takes longer, but mine washed off usually by the time im done decorating. I was my hand A LOT during he process since I have 2 little kids who are in constant need of something
I try my hardest to put gloves on when im colouring fondant though. My full time job is a hairdresser to between hair dye stains and food colouring, my hands are never a pretty sight.

The most effective method I've found is to spray my hands (where the color is) with windex BEFORE rinsing or washing my hands. It's probably the ammonia that takes the color off. However, if you rinse or wash your hands first, the windex will not work.

~Chelle

The bleach, Clorox is "Ultimate Care". I use it myself to remove color when I didn't use my gloves. Your hands will have a little bit of odor from the bleach, but it does remove the color.
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My students always know when I am makig a cake....I have rainbow hands!! Especially from tinting fondant. If it bothers you, though, try some hand sanitizer. The alcohol in it helps take out some of the color.

I didn't take time to read all the suggestions but here are mine:
when you know you are going to color fondant (or use any food coloring) lightly coat your hands w/shortening.

Once there is color on:
chelleb1974 is right. I got to where I would just use straight ammonia but it is very harsh on the hands and nose
rub on toothpaste; shampoo; or wash hands w/the *hottest!* water you can stand as hot cleans color whereas cold sets it.