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White gas is my personal favorite- AKA Naphtha, Coleman camp fuel
Slower evap than acetone, low fumes, easy on paint and rubber
Slower evap than acetone, low fumes, easy on paint and rubber
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Acetone vs Isopropyl Alcohol
- Thread starter SouthernChap
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Thanks for all the comments so far. I'm learning loads. 
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It's not; it's £1.49 a litre.
Besides petrol stinks and I don't want to be breathing in those fumes.
Last edited:
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I've used gasoline as a degreaser for over 60 years and I have never had any issues with it. And it really IS the cheapest option out there - and also one of the best degreasers. However, the safety nazi's will quickly chime in as to "how dangerous that stuff is...", blaa, blaa, blaa.
So, if you're NOT STUPID, then gasoline is a very cost effective degreaser. If, on the other hand, you ARE stupid, then please stick with kerosene, diesel, acetone, or IPA as your options.
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I don't particularly like the smell of petrol; is kerosene any more or less stinky and better than acetone or IPA?
In the UK, kerosene is about £1.80 per litre, that's only about 30 pence more than petrol and a lot cheaper than Acetone or IPA.
Oh and kerosene is apparently a good cutting fluid for aluminium and its a lot cheaper than WD40.
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I guess I'm stupid then; from Classic Motor Sports:
The Science
People have been cleaning greasy parts with gasoline for decades, and the science explains why it works so well: “Number-one rule of solubility is likes dissolves likes,” explains Zachary J. Santner, technical specialist at Sunoco.
In this case, gasoline, oil and grease are all formed from hydrocarbons. The big difference lies simply in the length of the chains–science talk for how far each product is refined.
The Safety
More science explains the danger of using gasoline as a solvent. Compared to kerosene, diesel fuel and proper parts-cleaning solutions, gasoline has a high vapor pressure, meaning it easily evaporates from an uncapped container. Those gasoline vapors then pool on the ground–picture the fog machine chugging away the last time you saw Iron Maiden or Judas Priest.
Now the big concern: Those pooled gasoline vapors are quite combustible, easily ignited by a welding spark, pilot light or other common source. Now you’re standing in the middle of fire, which, despite what you might think, is not very metal.
The Solution
How do we know that proper cleaning solutions offer a safer alternative to gasoline? Check the safety data sheets–easily found online–and look at the flash points.
OSHA defines a flash point as “the minimum temperature at which a liquid gives off vapor within a test vessel in sufficient concentration to form an ignitable mixture with air near the surface of the liquid.” Then there’s a line for those who don’t own a lab coat: “The flash point is normally an indication of susceptibility to ignition.”
Gasoline has a flash point of 40 degrees below zero, meaning it’s flammable once it’s warmer than that temperature; CRC Industries Parts Washer Solvent, in contrast, has a flash point of 204 degrees Fahrenheit. “The liquid won’t produce enough vapor to support a fire until 204 degrees,” Santner explains.
Another alternative: water-based cleaners that, Santner continues, rely upon surfactants and emulsifiers to suspend oil and grease in the cleaning solution and remove them.
The Science
People have been cleaning greasy parts with gasoline for decades, and the science explains why it works so well: “Number-one rule of solubility is likes dissolves likes,” explains Zachary J. Santner, technical specialist at Sunoco.
In this case, gasoline, oil and grease are all formed from hydrocarbons. The big difference lies simply in the length of the chains–science talk for how far each product is refined.
The Safety
More science explains the danger of using gasoline as a solvent. Compared to kerosene, diesel fuel and proper parts-cleaning solutions, gasoline has a high vapor pressure, meaning it easily evaporates from an uncapped container. Those gasoline vapors then pool on the ground–picture the fog machine chugging away the last time you saw Iron Maiden or Judas Priest.
Now the big concern: Those pooled gasoline vapors are quite combustible, easily ignited by a welding spark, pilot light or other common source. Now you’re standing in the middle of fire, which, despite what you might think, is not very metal.
The Solution
How do we know that proper cleaning solutions offer a safer alternative to gasoline? Check the safety data sheets–easily found online–and look at the flash points.
OSHA defines a flash point as “the minimum temperature at which a liquid gives off vapor within a test vessel in sufficient concentration to form an ignitable mixture with air near the surface of the liquid.” Then there’s a line for those who don’t own a lab coat: “The flash point is normally an indication of susceptibility to ignition.”
Gasoline has a flash point of 40 degrees below zero, meaning it’s flammable once it’s warmer than that temperature; CRC Industries Parts Washer Solvent, in contrast, has a flash point of 204 degrees Fahrenheit. “The liquid won’t produce enough vapor to support a fire until 204 degrees,” Santner explains.
Another alternative: water-based cleaners that, Santner continues, rely upon surfactants and emulsifiers to suspend oil and grease in the cleaning solution and remove them.
Acetone, Isopropyl alcohol and gasoline are all good solvents and are all fire hazards at normal shop temperatures. If I had a choice between these three and any would work, I would choose the IPA because the fumes bother me less than the other two. I would NOT consider any of them safe.
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