Do any of you use straight Denatured Alcohol in your detailing ?

[tattooman]

I have been using straight Denatured Alcohol for cleaning and degreasing very small spots or areas for various uses, esp. as a general cleaner before spot cleaning with a painters degreaser or lacquer thinner when fixing paint chips. I've also found it to work good for bugs/tar/tree sap etc before claying. I have not found it to be harmful to paint but I don't have enough experience to really know if that's the case. When I use it I spray it from a trigger bottle and scrub/wipe immediately, I never let it sit. I also use it to help get streaking off glass after cleaning it with a glass cleaner. I've also found that it cleans better than ISO when ISO isn't quite strong enough to clean whever I'm using it on.

The problem is I've never heard of Denatured being used in auto detailing so want to know what you guys think whether good bad or ugly, or if I could/should be using something esle.

[Setec Astronomy]

That's just ethanol with some stuff in it so you won't drink it...I'm not sure that there is much difference in aggressiveness, cleaning ability, or health hazard between isopropanol, ethanol, or methanol (although I'm sure someone will correct me if there is), the difference is you can get IPA at any supermarket or drug store. Probably your denatured alcohol is more concentrated than drug store IPA, which is maybe why it works better for you. I personally have never had any issues using straight drug store IPA (usually 70%), although Mike Phillips recommends against this (he recommends you dilute it).

I mean just from my life experience I wouldn't hesitate to use any alcohol on something that you feel comfortable using lacquer thinner on.

[custmsprty]

Isopropyl alcohol dissolves a wide range of non-polar compounds. It also evaporates quickly, leaves nearly zero oil traces, compared to ethanol, and is relatively non-toxic, compared to alternative solvents. Thus, it is used widely as a solvent and as a cleaning fluid, especially for dissolving oils.

[PaulMys]

And if you have any extra ethanol, pour it in your gas tank to lower your gas mileage.

The U.S. Government does it all the time......... :(

[tattooman]

That's just ethanol with some stuff in it so you won't drink it...I'm not sure that there is much difference in aggressiveness, cleaning ability, or health hazard between isopropanol, ethanol, or methanol (although I'm sure someone will correct me if there is), the difference is you can get IPA at any supermarket or drug store. Probably your denatured alcohol is more concentrated than drug store IPA, which is maybe why it works better for you. I personally have never had any issues using straight drug store IPA (usually 70%), although Mike Phillips recommends against this (he recommends you dilute it).

I mean just from my life experience I wouldn't hesitate to use any alcohol on something that you feel comfortable using lacquer thinner on.

I didn't know Mike dilutes 70% ISO. In that case it seems I should be xtra careful with 100% denatured ethanol. So far then it seems like no-one in detailing uses Denatured Alc. I hope to learn more with more posts. And FWIW I am NOT comfortable using lacquer thinner on any car paint. The last thing I want is to compromise clearcoat in any way. I only use it for spot cleaning prior to paint chip painting.

[Setec Astronomy]

I thought you said you use lacquer thinner for cleaning chips? I do. Most of the time I just use IPA though.

[SWETM]

Gtechnic Panel Wipe is made of this. Don't know the concentration of it as the sds sheet says 55-100% is ethanol and then you have the denatured alcohol 1-6%. Just so you won't drink it lol. And some glass cleaner uses ethanol as the main cleaning chemical. So it is used in detailing. But just not as the straight chemical name. And has it branded name from the manufactures. Then some products has other chemicals in them also and not just ethanol or denatured alcohol or is watered down.

[TTQ B4U]

I have been using straight Denatured Alcohol for cleaning and degreasing very small spots or areas for various uses, esp. as a general cleaner before spot cleaning with a painters degreaser or lacquer thinner when fixing paint chips. I've also found it to work good for bugs/tar/tree sap etc before claying. I have not found it to be harmful to paint but I don't have enough experience to really know if that's the case. When I use it I spray it from a trigger bottle and scrub/wipe immediately, I never let it sit. I also use it to help get streaking off glass after cleaning it with a glass cleaner. I've also found that it cleans better than ISO when ISO isn't quite strong enough to clean whever I'm using it on.

The problem is I've never heard of Denatured being used in auto detailing so want to know what you guys think whether good bad or ugly, or if I could/should be using something esle.

In terms of getting sap, bugs, etc. I use mineral spirits and simply wash the area off with soap/bucket, etc. In terms of Denatured Alcohol, I use it as a wipe-down for my glass panels after I polish them in prep for coating. Paint/panel wipe-down process I use various products used in body shops. CarPro and GYEON make some but they are pricey and I've since moved to body shop gal sized products that are just as good if not better and a far better value.

[FUNX650]

The use of denatured alcohol for some
“detailing” purposes is not a relatively
new phenomenon.


IMO:
•Any concerns of your using denatured alcohol,
at “full strength”, for degreasing and the spot
cleaning of dirt/stains, hinges—among other
things—on the following:
-What denaturing agents were used to make
the Ethanol Alcohol “full-strength denatured”?
-How porous, (if at all), are BC/CC paint systems?


•Additionally:
-Mike Phillips’ “diluting IPA article” has a
direct correlation to this particular thread
starter title’s subject matter. (It talks about
paint “swelling”—>softening/wrinkling/etc.)

-It’s such a good read. :xyxthumbs:
How to Mix IPA for Inspecting Correction Results (https://www.autogeekonline.net/forum/2009-to-2017-how-to-articles-by-mike-phillips/31183-how-mix-ipa-inspecting-correction-results.html)



Bob