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

[Robert Bannon]

Agreed. We wear goggles (sometimes) when cutting wood.

But, do you read the warning on California hammers? They suggest you wear goggles every time you hammer a nail.

Nothing wrong with goggles. I have a half dozen myself. But every time you hammer a nail?

I wear a helmet, boots, and gloves when I ride a motorcycle. You don't need to tell me that riding a motorcycle is dangerous.

Tell me something I don't know. Otherwise you're wasting everyone's time.

That was my only point in preventing people telling me that the otherwise excellent solvent has deleterious properties (that everyone already knows).

Grandkids. All Roman Catholic. You're doomed. :)

1. Water works fine to remove most paper labels. Water is much cheaper than anything else you can suggest for removing the label.
2. Gasoline works fine to remove most goop under the labels. The only problem with gasoline is that it (a) stinks and (b) is flammable. Outside is no problem, which is how I do it currently.

But the goal is to dilute the gasoline 10:1 so that it can be stored and used inside. The scientific trick is to find a good diluent that negates the deleterious properties of the gasoline.

If that's too difficult a scientific problem for you, I understand. Engineering a solution isn't always as simple as buying something off the shelf.

[Robert Bannon]

California is a big state (which is why they get away with being whacko) where I'm nowhere near the border. Too bad. That's a great price for 90% alcohol and 10% water.

[Robert Bannon]

Thanks for looking at the problem from a scientific standpoint.

The main issue is that gasoline is a *fantastic* readily available and cheap (relatively) solvent for eliminating the goop under the labels (after the label is removed by soaking in water); but gasoline (a) stinks, and (b) is flammable.

So all we're trying to do is reduce those two deleterious qualities: a. Lower the stink (or mask it with a better stink perhaps) b. Lower the flammability issue (probably by lowering the quantity)

Looking at naphtha as the diluent and gasoline as the solvent, and assuming something around a 1:10 ratio of diluent to solvent, the first thing I find is that naphtha is, like gasoline, not a single chemical in and of itself.

Looking up whether naphtha is a good diluent for gasoline, people do it:

But the results were too complex for me to glean the gist of the results in a single skim, so I'll move on to the next suggestion for the moment.

I don't see butane readily available either. It might be (e.g., lighter refills), but it seems too flammable for me to consider as the diluent.

The problem, I think, with *any* alcohol, is that they're gonna dilute it with water, and water isn't what we want to mix with the gasoline, so, unless we can find reagent grade alcohols, I think alcohol that we do find will have water in it.

Is that a common household chemical?

[Robert Bannon]

I am hoping that the solvent that we scientifically come up with is not only readily available, but that it *lowers* the negative qualities of gasoline.

[Robert Bannon]

This is interesting, even though carbon tetrachloride is probably difficult to get and hence isn't a standard household chemical.

You have a good point in that the goal of dilution is to reduce the deleterious qualities of the gasoline, which, let's face it, works just fine as a label goop remover.

The problem with the gasoline is obvious though, so that's what I'm trying to reduce by diluting with some other common household chemical.

I was hoping that the dilution would reduce the negative complications of gasoline.

From the scientific standpoint (which is really what I'm after), are you saying that a 50:50 mixture of methanol and gasoline would be *more* flammable than a 100% mixture of either one?

[Robert Bannon]

Thanks for that video.

The video underscores the fact that no one solvent works in all cases, so all we really are looking for is a solvent that works most of the time.

The video also underscores the *confusion* that surrounds removing labels.

They tested against paper labels the following removers:

1. Maplin Label Remover
2. Zinsser Universal Degreaser & Cleaner
3. WD-40
4. Methylated spirits

The confusion is that the video highlights that there are two *separate* problems, one of which I've solved long ago, but both of which they are attacking.

1. Removing a (paper in this case) label
2. Removing the underlying goop

I only am attacking the underlying goop, since soaking removes paper labels quite well already.

IMHO, when I'm looking for a cheap readily available household chemical to remove the goop, I don't need to make the problem *harder* by also asking that chemical to remove the (paper in this case) label, especially since there is already a cheap readily available household solved (aka dihydrogen oxide) which removes paper labels quite handily.

[Robert Bannon]

I hear you on the miracle-in-a-can as I knew about it, and had tried it years ago, and decided it was a myth. But I can try it again, especially if, as you say, they supply a liquid version of this miracle in a can.

I appreciate that advice since I didn't know they made a liquid form. I have only used the spray, and found it to be substandard in every way for "lubrication" and "protection" of metal-on-metal surfaces.

Thank you for that point, which I agree with you on, which is that for my use, the miracle in a can will best be the liquid version.

Interesting that you mention a "label". I always remove the label first, generally by soaking in plain old water. Once I have the label removed, that's where I need the solvent to remove the goop.

I think I've tried it, but I see I don't have any on my shelves at the moment, so, if California will allow me to buy it, I'll pick up some lacquer thinner if it's still sold.

And wipe your shoes before you come in the house. Otherwise, someone might slip on the mud.

[Tekkie®]

Robert Bannon posted for all of us...

AS a FF I was going to let this pass but I see from some of your replies are less than "manly" as you put it.

Please let me know where you live, when you are going to do it and if there are innocent victims in your abode. I will update the run card and CAD so responders will not endanger themselves to recover your charred unrecognizable remains.

[Stormin' Norman]

You can get a gallon of it for about $17 through Amazon. That should last you for years.

That is because it is a penetrating oil and water displacement agent. It was originally developed for protecting the outer skin and the fuel tanks of the Atlas missile.

A gallon through Amazon should be less than $20. I really hate going to Home Depot. The gallons are a much better deal than quarts.

Good advice, wiping your shoes also helps keep unnecessary dirt out of the house. One of our critters is a very sweet, personable and affectionate donkey. Every opportunity she gets to come in the house, she sneaks in, she doesn't ever cause a problem, other than the dirt that comes in on her hooves.

[Thomas]

Use heat. Burn that shit off.

[Robert Bannon]

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.

[Roy]

It can't be done you idiot. Give up on this stupid plan of action. Go troll elsewhere because WE are tired of this crap. =====

[dadiOH]

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

[Robert Bannon]

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

[clare]

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

[clare]

Virtually anywhwere in the civilized world also prohibits putting gasoline into an unlisted plastic container - and it MUST be red.

Steel containers are a bit more forgiving, but plain unpainted gallon steel cans are also forbidden.

[clare]

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

[clare]

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

[clare]

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.

[clare]

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.