How best to dilute gasoline to use in a kitchen sink?

The problem isn't removing the label, but the goop under the label once the label is removed.

The Naphtha probably works but does it work better than gasoline? Dunno.

I'd need to find naphtha in the stores to test it out against gasoline (which works just fine for removing most goop).

In the rare case that gasoline fails to remove the goop, acetone often works (but acetone fails more than does gasoline).

I just use water to remove the label. a. I fill the jar with water so it sinks b. I drop it into a larger bucket of water

You can't beat water for being a readily available household chemical. But water only removes the label.

My problem is removing the goop. You can't beat gasoline for being a readily available household chemical for removing the goop.

The only problem with the gasoline is it has to be used outdoors. So that's why I'm trying to find how to make it so that it can be used indoors.

Wouldn't work even if it weren't flammable since it is only a liquid when under pressure.

Good point. I didn't even think of that.

Forget the peanut butter. Peanut OIL is what does the job - the "butter" is just a carrier

I hereby nominate Robert Bannon for an anticipatory Darwin Award. Usually they are awarded posthumously, but he is such a "real man" that I thought he may wish to enjoy it in advance.

Real Men are responsible for themselves and others, and typically avoid all forms of ritual suicide, including the breathing of benzine-based fumes indoors. Can you say CARCINOGEN? For sure, you cannot spell it.

Sheesh!

Peter Wieck Melrose Park, PA

The reason one solvent doesn't work all the time is there are so many "glues" used to attach labels.

My perscription bifocal glasses are listed safety glasses - and without them I'm not sure I'd hit the "right" nail . . .

Also known as Methylene Chloride it is the main component of many paint strippers. It is not generally available for retail sale in it's "raw" form.

There really isn't anything that will "dilute" gasoline that is not either at least as flammable or at least as dangerous as gasoline itself - particularly not that will not also destroy it's solvency.

The big danger with methanol combustion is you can't see the light blue flame in a well lighted room - or even a poorly lighted one.. Other than that it is actually inherently safer than gasoline - and the mixture is more dangerous than straight methanol as far as fire is concerned.

Perhaps the "single step" method using "miracle in a can" would be the sinpler way????

Turn your boots over and shake them before you put them on to be sure there is no mouse or scorpian in your boot (or shoe)

Or below 31 degrees F at atmospheric pressure (sea level standard)

I thought the leaded gas was added to the moonshine.

The thread has 84 responses, some of which ignore your question to advise you on safety.

If you're going for cheaper, I think anything you can find to dilute the gasoline will be nearly as costly as the gasoline.

I know you want to do the label removal in the house, but wouldn't it be better to do this final step outside? Surely you can save up the jars until there is a sunny, breezy day? Also, you'll keep gasoline from going down the sink drain (you mentioned a sink in what I deleted).

If ethanol works, how about isopropyl alcohol, a near relative?

Use a single edge razor blade to get most of the goop off, then use the gasoline. Do the jars in batches for efficiency.

charles, that's all I've got

Any residual can be cleaned up with mineral turps.

I find "Eucalyptus Oil" a good solvent too.

.... Phil

They work fairly well for me. Getting the oily residue off of absorbent materials is my main objects. Number 2 objection is the smell.

I went by Scarborough (Ace) Hardware today. What they have on the shelf are: Acetone Denatured Alcohol Lacquer Thinner Paint Thinner Turpentine Mineral Spirits Japan Dryer Painters Solvent (replaces MEK, toluene, xylene, VM+P Naphtha). That's it. All the good stuff is gone.

MSDS for Exxon regular gasoline: Looks like it contains all your favorite missing VOC's. According to the MSDS, gasoline is a mix of butane, isobutane, pentane, and isopentane. I'm surprised that the California Air Resources Board hasn't banned gasoline.

So, by using gasoline for cleaning and label removal, you're dumping VOCs into the atmosphere. If there was a reward, I would probably turn you in for re-education and brain washing (using an eco friend brain wash cleaner).

I understand.

You might not notice but I don't believe anyone who says any one solve works all the time, because it's just not going to happen.

You'll notice that I take pains to say that the gasoline works "most" of the time, and "more" so than the other solvents that I have tried (with acetone coming in second to gasoline but a distant second at that).

Also, I didn't realize you guys actually put the solvent *on* the label, which I never do.

I remove the labels first, and only *after* the label is gone, do I use the solvent to try to get rid of the goop.

So some of us (e.g., peanut oil Oren! :) ) are attacking different problems.

The problem with *any* alcohol, is getting it without the water.

I guess mixing gasoline with water might not be a bad idea though.

Dunno. I never tried it.

But that's the theoretical problem with consumer alcohol (which is a lot of water with some alcohol).

Yikes. And I invited you to our weekly inventors luncheon too!

:)