How to mix Isopropyl Alcohol for inspecting paint






Autogeek now carries Isopropyl Alcohol in a 50% strength 16 ounce bottle.


Paint Inspection Isopropyl Alcohol


A few years ago there was a lot of bad recommendations being shared on detailing forums with people telling others to use IPA to wipe their car's paint in order to strip it of any polishing oils and other residues in order to more accurately inspect the results.

The problem with this was there were no specific recommendations from all these other people on what a "safe" dilution is for car paint. So I checked with some car wax chemist friends of mine and a couple of friends that work with paint companies to get their collective recommendations as to what a safe dilution ratio would be for chemically stripping paint.


Here's my article on this topic,

How to Mix IPA for Inspecting Correction Results



The collective recommendations from both chemists and colleagues in this industry recommended a safe dilution in a range from 10% to 25%.

Most detailers I know prefer the stronger solution and that's probably along the lines of thinking that if a little is good, more is better.

So here's a really easy way to take the 50% Isopropyl Alcohol you can now purchase at Autogeek.net and mix it with water.


25% Dilution
To get a 25% dilution of IPA to water, pour the entire bottle of the AG Isopropyl Alcohol into a 32 ounce spray bottle and fill the rest of the bottle with water. This will give you a 25% dilution ratio.



Safer Dilution Level
If you want to work on the safer side of chemically stripping paint...

12.5% Dilution
To get a 12.5% dilution of IPA to water, pour half a bottle, (8 ounces), of the AG Isopropyl Alcohol into a 32 ounce spray bottle and fill the rest with water. This will give you a 12.5% dilution ratio.


On Autogeek.net


Paint Inspection Isopropyl Alcohol





32 oz. Heavy Duty PVC Clear Spray Bottle





Personal recommendation...
I recommend to get the above clear 32 ounce bottle and also get this chemical resistant spray head to swap out for the standard spray head.

High Output Chemical Resistant Sprayer




Content Label
I would also highly recommend that you create a bright colored label like you see I did here using your printer and then affix the label to the bottle using clear packaging tape to clearly identify what is inside the bottle not only to make people aware of what's inside but also for safety reasons.





If you own a detailing business, fixed location or mobile, be sure to make sure your bottles are labeled in accordance with OSHA regulations and any other governmental regulations so that you are in compliance.