# Denatured Alcohol



## radio11 (Aug 14, 2015)

Besides making your morning coffee "Irish", what do YOU use it for?


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## Betheweb (Jul 26, 2016)

denature: make (alcohol) unfit for drinking by the addition of toxic or foul-tasting substances


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## kmp (Jan 30, 2011)

Remove latex paint from surfaces that could be damaged with lacquer thinner, make a pre stain wood conditioner, general cleaning. It is the mildest of all the nasty stuff we use.


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## futtyos (Aug 11, 2013)

*Mild*



kmp said:


> Remove latex paint from surfaces that could be damaged with lacquer thinner, make a pre stain wood conditioner, general cleaning. It is the mildest of all the nasty stuff we use.


How about 70% Isopropyl alcohol?

futtyos


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## Paradigmzz (May 5, 2010)

A cap full to latex trim paint makes paint flow. Every rep under the sun says bad idea but none can tell me why. (Its not an operating procedure we employ but know it works).


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## Paradigmzz (May 5, 2010)

A cap full to latex trim paint makes paint flow. Every rep under the sun says bad idea but none can tell me why. (Its not an operating procedure we employ but know it works).


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## slinger58 (Feb 11, 2013)

Mainly to test a previously painted surface to see if oil or latex.


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## Jmayspaint (Mar 26, 2013)

I use it for all kinds of stuff. As mentioned, testing for oil paint, removing errant splatters, small scale general cleaning, soaking brushes, thinning shellac of course, etc.etc.. 

DN alcohol, Lacquer thinner, and mineral spirits are the three solvents I keep on hand at all times. 


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## kmp (Jan 30, 2011)

futtyos said:


> How about 70% Isopropyl alcohol?
> 
> futtyos


I found that rubbing alcohol doesn't really remove latex very well,does clean though. Plus you can only carry so much stuff.


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## RH (Sep 7, 2010)

kmp said:


> I found that rubbing alcohol doesn't really remove latex very well,does clean though. Plus you can only carry so much stuff.


But it works great for removing tree pitch from things - including hands.


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## PACman (Oct 24, 2014)

If I tell you are you all going to jump my 5hit about it?


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## slinger58 (Feb 11, 2013)

PACman said:


> If I tell you are you all going to jump my 5hit about it?




Probably.


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## RH (Sep 7, 2010)

Mods never make pre-promises.


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## RH (Sep 7, 2010)

PACman said:


> If I tell you are you all going to jump my 5hit about it?


Think the last time I heard that was when our son was 17. lain:


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## PACman (Oct 24, 2014)

slinger58 said:


> Probably.
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


that's what i figured.


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## radio11 (Aug 14, 2015)

Betheweb said:


> denature: make (alcohol) unfit for drinking by the addition of toxic or foul-tasting substances




OK--so my coffee is more Chernobyl than Irish. 


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## CT239 (Feb 14, 2017)

One of Denatured alcohols best applications in the painting world has been stated, apply to a rag and rub a surface such as doors or trim and see if any paint comes off or dulls the sheen. If this happens it is most likely a latex surface where if it simply cleaned the area you would be facing an alkyd product. The second best application is to wipe down surfaces with possible contaminants that are going to be painted over with a latex paint. This is the best solvent for cleaning prior to applying waterbased topcoats because it is a non hydrocarbon solvent and does not leave a residue that rejects a latex topcoat.


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## The Paint Lady (Oct 10, 2013)

PACman said:


> If I tell you are you all going to jump my 5hit about it?


I wanna know....


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## Rbriggs82 (Jul 9, 2012)

The Paint Lady said:


> I wanna know....


Me too, now I'm all curious and stuff.


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## lilpaintchic (Jul 9, 2014)

All of the above as well as to speed up drying in less than favorable exterior conditions. It will also get rid of pita ho's that won't leave ya alone...


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## 007 Dave (Jun 22, 2016)

lilpaintchic said:


> All of the above as well as to speed up drying in less than favorable exterior conditions. It will also get rid of pita ho's that won't leave ya alone...


I needed that today then.... The lady was hanging her pictures before I even pulled my tarps up.


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## goga (Aug 6, 2015)

CT239 said:


> One of Denatured alcohols best applications in the painting world has been stated, apply to a rag and rub a surface such as doors or trim and see if any paint comes off or dulls the sheen. If this happens it is most likely a latex surface where if it simply cleaned the area you would be facing an alkyd product. The second best application is to wipe down surfaces with possible contaminants that are going to be painted over with a latex paint. This is the best solvent for cleaning prior to applying waterbased topcoats because it is a non hydrocarbon solvent and does not leave a residue that rejects a latex topcoat.


The best use of DenatAlc for me is to wipe and clean off the windshield and the rest of the car windows, better than the RainX.


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## Delta Painting (Apr 27, 2010)

Works good for cleaning wiper blades on the work truck. Apply with a rag you will be amazed at the crap that comes off the blade. Road grime, bug guts makes them work like new again...


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## SemiproJohn (Jul 29, 2013)

Like others have said, to determine whether an existing finish is oil or latex, and to clean windows/glass.


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## getrex (Feb 13, 2017)

I use it to help my poop come out more easily. Really cleans the passages for a straight shot down. Oh.. and it's sorta useful for cleaning stuff...


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## slinger58 (Feb 11, 2013)

getrex said:


> I use it to help my poop come out more easily. Really cleans the passages for a straight shot down. Oh.. and it's sorta useful for cleaning stuff...




TMI.


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## woodcoyote (Dec 30, 2012)

DA is awesome stuff. 

We use it mostly as a cleaner. We buy it by the 5 gallons. We use it to clean our spray machines (mix with water), run it through..clean easy. 

Also helps to have some on hand for any cleaning of small spills or over spray. Takes paint off quick.

We also use it to wipe down garage doors we need to spray or doors. Dries fast, doesn't leave a residue, and makes a paint ready surface quick.


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## 804 Paint (Jan 31, 2014)

Anyone ever use it to wet sand horribly painted trim and doors? I've thought about it...not sure how well it would work. Maybe watered down?


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## woodcoyote (Dec 30, 2012)

804 Paint said:


> Anyone ever use it to wet sand horribly painted trim and doors? I've thought about it...not sure how well it would work. Maybe watered down?
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


Latex paint? Bad idea. 

It'll gum up and probably end up costing you more headaches than it's worth. Why not use a water/soap method if you plan on doing it? Also, if the paint isn't hard enough it'll gum when you wet sand.


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## 804 Paint (Jan 31, 2014)

Yeah, it's BEHR, and it is not super hard for a trim paint. And it my own house. It was a major, major obstacle for me to overcome when we purchased the house last Sept. Worst painting I have ever seen, and the previous HO was very proud that it was Behr paint. SO MUCH SANDING to do...everywhere. Oh, since he couldn't strike a line, he caulked ALL of the ceiling lines AFTER painting, with a thick bead of caulk. :wallbash:

Rant over...sorry for the hijack.


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## Tonyg (Dec 9, 2007)

I worked in a movie theater as a teenager and it was standard practice to use it to clean the glass in front of the projectors. That and newspapers .

Of course these were reel to reel so it was crucial to have the lens, and glass it was showing through cleaned perfectly. :wheelchair:


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## Zoomer (Dec 17, 2011)

Fixing runs or sags in alkyd hybrid paints.


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## Ric (Oct 26, 2011)

Paradigmzz said:


> A cap full to latex trim paint makes paint flow. Every rep under the sun says bad idea but none can tell me why. (Its not an operating procedure we employ but know it works).


Hey Paradimzz...

The "reason" every rep says it's a bad idea to mix alcohol into latex paint is the same reason it's effective in determining whether an existing coating is oil or latex...Denatured Alcohol dissolves latex and acrylic resin. Not dilutes. Dissolves. If enough is added to a "latex" mix, it would be impossible for a film of any integrity to form. In other words, a "capful" may have no adverse affect on the film forming process of a latex coating, but at what point will it? 2-3 capfuls? a couple of ounces? I s'pose it depends on how much, and what type resin is actually used in a finish product. 

If concerned, here's something you may want to consider instead of Denatured Alcohol - if your latex paint is dragging, or not flowing out - or if bubbles are forming in the film during application - a "capful" of mineral spirits will have an immediate and dramatic effect on the film's ability to flow and level - and eliminate bubbles drying into the film. Mineral spirits will not dissolve a latex resin, but changes the surface tension of the product's vehicle to allow for a more favorable "flow"... and just as with any field trick that a manufacturer won't necessarily condone, a little goes a long way - if a capful helps dramatically, that does not mean a 1/2 pint would work that much better, or not cause any unexpected, adverse consequence. Give it a shot, or don't - but from a compatibility perspective, mineral spirits are less likely to cause issue than is denatured alcohol.


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## RH (Sep 7, 2010)

Tonyg said:


> I worked in a movie theater as a teenager and it was standard practice to use it to clean the glass in front of the projectors. That and newspapers .
> 
> Of course these were reel to reel so it was crucial to have the lens, and glass it was showing through cleaned perfectly. :wheelchair:


A clean lens was also crucial because with no sound, the quality of the image was really important back then. :wink:


As for using it to clean the windows of my vehicles, I'd be concerned it might affect the finish of the paint over time.


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