Is it possible to degrease with white spirit and how to do it?

Today, white spirit is one of the top 10 solvents that are ideal for degreasing all kinds of surfaces: wood, metal, plastic, etc. damage. Also, white spirit is a fairly budget product, and, in addition, it is relatively safe for human health. After reading this article, you will receive comprehensive information about this substance and learn about all the rules and nuances of its use.

White spirit has a number of properties and characteristics that distinguish it favorably from other solvents:

• it dissolves vegetable fats, organic compounds, resins, etc .;
• well degreases metal, glass, wood and plastic items without damaging their structure;
• does not corrode painted and varnished surfaces;
• evaporates quickly after application;
• practically non-toxic;
• has a low level of flammability (flash at temperatures above 33 C, ignition - at 47 C, self-ignition - 250 C);
• inexpensive in cost.

However, such changes in the composition of the product worsened its dissolving qualities.

White spirit can be used to degrease surfaces such as metal (for example, car body), wood, plastic and glass. This tool will also work for processing rubber, however, it is still better to use gasoline for this material.

Before gluing, painting or any other manipulation, the work surface must be degreased. Regardless of the material, this process includes two stages:

• cleansing working area with a damp cloth;
• treatment the prepared surface with a sponge dipped in white spirit (as a rule, the consumption of substance per 1 m2 when degreasing any material is 100–150 g).

Now let's consider the process of degreasing with white spirit for specific surfaces.

The first thing to mention is - this is what white spirit is used before painting a car body: rubber, mastic stains, bitumen and other contaminants are removed with it. If this process is ignored, then there is a risk that the paint will not adhere well to the metal surface. Previously, for these purposes, it was necessary to use kerosene or acetone, but white spirit replaced them due to its softer composition and better characteristics. For example, this solvent almost completely evaporates from the treated surface, leaving a thin layer of an easily removable film, and also does not damage the paintwork of the body (even if there are any defects on it).

When it comes to working with plastic parts, then degreasing is simply necessary.... The fact is that this material has poor adhesion characteristics, i.e.the reliability of bonding one plastic element to another is rather low. Therefore, the processing of plastic surfaces with white spirit will be advisable before they are soldered, glued, varnished or painted.

As for the degreasing of wooden elements, in this case, before the standard processing, one more procedure is required, namely, cleaning the surface with sandpaper.

To prepare for other manipulations with this material, for example: for tinting the windshield or covering it with a sunscreen film, you can use other, more aggressive solvents, since in this case the white spirit can leave streaks.

It should also be recalled that when working with the composition in question, one should not only adhere to the algorithm for processing a surface of a certain type, but also observe the basic safety rules:

• to avoid toxic intoxication the working area must be well ventilated and ventilated;
• in order to protect the skin from burns, the procedure should be carried out in special clothing, rubber gloves and a respirator;
• the container with the solvent must be located in accordance with the relevant storage standards, namely: be hidden from direct sunlight, be away from heat sources, etc.

Knowledge of the algorithm for working with various materials, adherence to the technological process, as well as safety rules will allow anyone to quickly and efficiently degrease any object using a white spirit solvent without harm both to the work surface and to their health.