Gasoline vs isopropylalcohol

[Khan]

Hi

Is isopropylalcohol as effective as gasoline when cleaning movement parts? I experience gasoline to have a very strong smell and seems dangerous to inhalate. Is isopropylalcohol "safer" to use in terms of health? 

[watchweasol]

Hi Khan.  Regarding the two chemicals, both  will have an effect if inhaled in quantity. Chemicals used for the cleaning of clocks and watches are best used in ventilated spaces, just a fan will do to circulate the air. Bearing in mind they are both inflammable is another factor you have to be aware of your surroundings.  I have used isopropyl alchohol for many years with no ill effect although the fumes from gasoline are noxious and care should be taken. Others will have their own opinions.

[Neverenoughwatches]

  On 2/28/2024 at 6:18 PM, Khan said:

Hi

Is isopropylalcohol as effective as gasoline when cleaning movement parts? I experience gasoline to have a very strong smell and seems dangerous to inhalate. Is isopropylalcohol "safer" to use in terms of health? 

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IPA is safer as its used extensively in the medical industry and also in a lot of household cleaning and disinfectant products but probably not as good as benzine for dissolving old oil and grease. Otherwise thats all that we would use, its biggests use for us is to dispel water so many of us use it as a rinsing agent when using waterbased cleaners. Gasoline isn't a cleaner, it is primarily benzine but has other additives to improve combustion same as most lighter fluids. 

[oldhippy]

No mater what you use wear a mask in a well ventilated space and protective gloves. 

 

 

[nickelsilver]

Gasoline as used in cars should not be used.  Far too dangerous as a combustible as well as to your health. Benzine, which is essentially what lighter fuel is,  ok. Isopropyl alcohol is very different, not nearly as good of a solvent for dried oils and such, but an excellent rinse.

 

No Gasoline!

Edited February 29, 2024 by nickelsilver

[Nucejoe]

 I had to get a dermetologist prescription to buy isopropinal , the pharmacist who filled the prescription said it can even be fatal if drank and fumes should be avoided.

High comcentration ISP  by the German supplier merc  is only supplied to chem labs where a chemist knows safety measures that ought to be taken.

I was surprised to hear it is supplied to non pro in Europe and the US.

 

 

 

[Neverenoughwatches]

  On 2/28/2024 at 10:05 PM, Nucejoe said:

 I had to get a dermetologist prescription to buy isopropinal , the pharmacist who filled the prescription said it can even be fatal if drank and fumes should be avoided.

High comcentration ISP  by the German supplier merc  is only supplied to chem labs where a chemist knows safety measures that ought to be taken.

I was surprised to hear it is supplied to non pro in Europe and the US.

 

 

 

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I guess it depends how much you drink, the fumes dont seem any where near as bad as petrol. I've been using a  version of ipa as a pvc cleaner for over 30 years, often in confined areas like toilets and bathrooms. My customers ask me if i ever get high on it, i think ive just become used to it and developed a tolerance,  no ill effects  as yet. Whereas petrol i could get addicted to that, I've loved the smell of it ever since i used to play with it as a child ( dont ask you wont believe what i got up to as a kid )

[Waggy]

I think if we survived COVID using copious amounts of hand sanitizer on a daily/hourly basis where, in the vast majority, the active ingredient is IPA (>70%) it would seem logical that we should be OK dealing with IPA for a few tens of minutes here or there when working with watches, either by skin contact or inhalation. On the other hand petrol is a soup of hydrocarbons and can vary from one supply to another, some of these hydrocarbons and additives are very nasty in terms of health impact. At least with IPA you know it is IPA and can evaluate the risk, and decide if you are comfortable with said risk, however, with petrol you are dealing with an unknown and often propitiatory blends and secret magical additives and therefore much more difficult to evaluate the health/safety risk. Other options like dedicated 'off the shelf' watch cleaning fluids and even naphtha the ingredients are well documented (MSDS sheets) and you know what you are dealing with and can evaluate the risk and take appropriate precautions.

  On 2/28/2024 at 10:57 PM, Neverenoughwatches said:

ont ask you wont believe what i got up to as a kid

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I can remember being up to my elbows in diesel cleaning engine parts, I guess I'll pay the price at some point!

  On 2/28/2024 at 10:57 PM, Neverenoughwatches said:

Whereas petrol i could get addicted to that, I've loved the smell of it

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Same here, I remember reading somewhere that regarding petrol as a pleasant smell is genetic, a bit like white chocolate (some think it tastes like soap) and asparagus (makes some peoples pee smell and not others). Like me, my son likes the smell of petrol, but my wife hates it....maybe our postman likes the smell too?

[HectorLooi]

I use petrol as a prewash for heavily soiled clock parts. 

I find that the smell of petrol has changed over the years. It used to smell better when I was young. 

My grandpa had a general store/liquor store/petrol pump in a small town in Malaysia. He had 6 underground tanks beneath his shophouse. I remember waking up to the smell of petrol and engine oil whenever we stayed with him during the school holidays. 

Maybe that's why I love the smell of petrol.

[Neverenoughwatches]

  On 2/29/2024 at 5:52 AM, HectorLooi said:

I use petrol as a prewash for heavily soiled clock parts. 

I find that the smell of petrol has changed over the years. It used to smell better when I was young. 

My grandpa had a general store/liquor store/petrol pump in a small town in Malaysia. He had 6 underground tanks beneath his shophouse. I remember waking up to the smell of petrol and engine oil whenever we stayed with him during the school holidays. 

Maybe that's why I love the smell of petrol.

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Ahhh yup a reminiscent aroma takes us back to a happy time. I'd like to say the same about shitty nappies but nah .

[mikepilk]

I use naphtha for pre-cleaning really dirty parts, and cleaning mainsprings (I haven't figured out a way to clean them in the ultrasonic). Naphtha is far better than IPA for removing oil and grease. But it does leave an oily deposit - which a final IPA rinse removes.

[nickelsilver]

Petrol can mean different things. In the UK it's gasoline, but over here it's kerosene. We use it in (fireproof) cans for cleaning machine parts and stuff like that- the kerosene petrol. Also use it in the grinding machine for carbide tools; it sits in an open sump in the machine, and evaporates very slowly. It would be pretty useless for cleaning clock and watch parts. Old books sometimes mention using white gasoline, what a Yank might call Coleman Fuel. This is like regular gasoline minus all the additives- but with all the danger. As a Yank with a Coleman stove here in Europe, when I need fuel I use... benzine! Which again can mean several different things, like naphtha...

 

 

[spectre6000]

  On 2/28/2024 at 10:05 PM, Nucejoe said:

High comcentration ISP  by the German supplier merc  is only supplied to chem labs where a chemist knows safety measures that ought to be taken.

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How high are you talking? I think 70% is the usual grocery store stuff. I bought a gallon of 99.9% USP a while back without anything special. Pretty sure I just got it on Amazon or something similar. I use it to make various cleaning solutions, and refill the medicine cabinet bottle (diluted with distilled water) as needed. 

[mikepilk]

  On 2/29/2024 at 2:23 PM, spectre6000 said:

How high are you talking? I think 70% is the usual grocery store stuff. I bought a gallon of 99.9% USP a while back without anything special. Pretty sure I just got it on Amazon or something similar. I use it to make various cleaning solutions, and refill the medicine cabinet bottle (diluted with distilled water) as needed. 

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Are we talking about the same thing @Nucejoe ?  I too buy 99.9% IPA from ebay here in the UK.

Isopropanol is relatively safe - according to Wiki "Small amounts of isopropyl alcohol are produced in the body in diabetic ketoacidosis".

"Medical"

Rubbing alcohol, hand sanitizer, and disinfecting pads typically contain a 60–70% solution of isopropyl alcohol or ethanol in water. Water is required to open up membrane pores of bacteria, which acts as a gateway for isopropyl alcohol. A 75% v/v solution in water may be used as a hand sanitizer.[23] Isopropyl alcohol is used as a water-drying aid for the prevention of otitis externa, better known as swimmer's ear.[24]

Inhaled isopropyl alcohol can be used for treating nausea in some settings by placing a disinfecting pad under the nose.[25]

Toxicology[edit]

Isopropyl alcohol, via its metabolites, is somewhat more toxic than ethanol, but considerably less toxic than ethylene glycol or methanol. Death from ingestion or absorption of even relatively large quantities is rare. "

I like the smell 

[Nucejoe]

 @spectre6000 I think 99.9 % is highest used in chem labratories at pertolium facilities.

A lady friend,  Phd in  chemistry gave me a list of merc products, I am pretty sure 99.9 % was the highest purity on the list. Prices went up exponentially for anything above 99.00% , so where consumption is high they don't dilute, but save $$ buying the lower grade they want.

@nickelsilver which one is what  Americans call  home heating oil ? 

 

Rgds

 

 

 

 

 

[mikepilk]

As you can see, IPA is not expensive here, from ebay and Amazon.

Maybe it's the "99.9% alcohol" which is causing the scare stories, given your location?

[Nucejoe]

 By drinking I guess the drug store attendant a MS in phrameceutical  scences , meant  drinking  a glass full of isp,  Alchoholic beverages are illegal to have or drink in the Islamic republic, so some folks try any alchohal in their quest to find legal substitiutes. 

 

[mikepilk]

  On 2/29/2024 at 3:32 PM, Nucejoe said:

 By drinking I guess the drug store attendant a MS in phrameceutical  scences , meant  drinking  a glass full of isp,  Alchoholic beverages are illegal to have or drink in the Islamic republic, so some folks try any alchohal in their quest to find legal substitiutes. 

 

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An Islamic colleague was horrified when I told him he had alcohol in his body - our guts produce 3-4g per day. 

I like to keep mine topped up 

[Nucejoe]

 Tolorated level of alcohol here is that which the guy doesn't get drunk, unless for medical use , any mind altering substance is forbbiden in islam. 

 

[RichardHarris123]

Over approximately 87% mass ratio of IPA/water an azeotropic condition is formed, meaning that simple distillation wouldn't separate the two any further.  That why the purer stuff is more expensive. 

Edited February 29, 2024 by RichardHarris123
Bloody typo's

[Neverenoughwatches]

  On 2/29/2024 at 5:09 PM, RichardHarris123 said:

Over approximately 87% mass ratio of IPA/water an azeotropic condition is formed, meaning that simple distillation wouldn't separate the two any further.  That why the purer stuff is more expensive. 

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Mate you're just too clever, you'll never become a delivery driver.