Safe to Use Denatured Alcohol?

[markr6754]

I got caught up in the search for alcohols over a month ago, but finding my favorite 91% unavailable I went in search of denatured alcohol. The local hardware store listed too many toxic warnings, so I ordered online from Amazon. The product I found there was primarily ethanol vs methanol, but still had the nasties added to prevent consumption.

So my question for this esteemed forum is...can one use denatured alcohol in the reloading room. Uses...cleaning dies, mixing with lanolin for case lube, all purpose load tools cleaning. Naturally, this wasn't my planned use for the product, but since I can't use it as planned, I'm looking for a beneficial alternative.

It's 190 proof, so 95% Ethanol, 5% impurities/water.

 

[Hooda Thunkit]

As solvents go, denatured alcohol is not as harsh as many. And, the odor us not nearly as objectionable as some of the petroleum based products.

Using care, and keeping in mind the flammability of the product, I see no reason to not use denatured alcohol.

BTW, denatured alcohol is ethanol, with an additive to make certain you don't drink it.

 

[bersaguy]

I looked up the MSDS on Kleen Strip Green Denatured alcohol. Should be 80-90% ethanol, 2-4% methanol (denaturing agent) 1.5% acetic acid (vinegar) with the balance being "proprietary mixture" (read "water") I mixed some up with glycerin and aloe for use as hand sanitizer. Ends up being just about equivalent to aftershave. (Take a look at the ingredients in aftershave, its denatured alcohol) Anyway...should work fine as a substitute for 91% isopropyl...probably better

 

[Random 8]

Yes, it makes an outstanding degreaser and quickly evaporates off from a warm surface. Be cautious of fumes and ignition sources. I use it extensively for cleaning lube and grease off of various surfaces including dies and brass. I like to clean brass post-sizing by dropping it into a round Hodgedon can and rolling it around on the floor. I'll then strain and put the brass out in the sun to dry.

You can also use it diluted to 70% for window washing fluid in your vehicle. Really takes the bugs off.

 

[12Bravo20]

As solvents go, denatured alcohol is not as harsh as many. And, the odor us not nearly as objectionable as some of the petroleum based products.

Using care, and keeping in mind the flammability of the product, I see no reason to not use denatured alcohol.

BTW, denatured alcohol is ethanol, with an additive to make certain you don't drink it.

I agree, it will be fine.

There is a fuel ethanol plant close to me and they put denature agents in the alcohol right away to keep the workers from drinking it. Ethanol is just a fancy name for moonshine.

 

[whughett]

I keep a gallon or two in my wood shop, primarily for dissolving shellac flakes, but I use it for a variety of cleaning chores.

 

[Varminterror]

That 5% of “other stuff” in 190 proof ethanol is not water. We process ethanol to nominal 200 proof for all purposes in the US, and only dilute back down with the technical additives. Most of the water content which would be in the final product would come with the additives, and in those, it’s typically only a trace in the final product.

I’ve been associated with producing a bit more than 30 billion gallons of denatured ethanol over the last 13yrs. Most denatured ethanol sold for fuel consumption in the US is denatured with 2.5% gasoline (effectively). So what’s left behind with the bulk solvent ethanol is evaporated are heavier hydrocarbons, gasoline - in other words, if you wouldn’t clean the item with gasoline, or if you need it perfectly degreased, such as for cerakoting, don’t clean it with denatured fuel ethanol.

We distill ethanol to 190 proof, nominal, and then dehydrate to 200proof, nominal, before denaturing back down with that 2.5% minimum of gasoline to preclude consumption, and a touch of corrosion inhibitor (commonly phosphoric and sulfuric acids and some various aromatic amines), and trace water, acid/salts, isoamyl & methyl alcohols... not all grades of denatured ethanol are created equally, as there are various industrial and otherwise non-potable specs out there. I’d have to pull ASTM 4818 to be sure, but if I recall correctly it’s less than 1% for US spec, with US ethanol being sent to Canada or the EU being notably lower. Some technical products can have phase separation issues even as low as 0.3-0.5%, which takes an exceptionally high cost system to produce.

But again, I can tell you, that 5% is NOT mostly water. At most, it’s going to be 1% water.

 

[ColtPythonElite]

I keep a bottle of 91% rubbing alcohol on my reloading bench for cleaning and oil removal.

 

[243winxb]

Safe- No.

 

[nettlle]

I use denatured alcohol for stripping grease and oil from screws and tapped holes prior to using Loctite. For everything else I use Simple Green.

 

[Obturation]

This should be safe for whatever you need.

 

[12Bravo20]

Good ol everclear, you can clean with it, drink it, and use it as an antiseptic.

 

[bersaguy]

That 5% of “other stuff” in 190 proof ethanol is not water. We process ethanol to nominal 200 proof for all purposes in the US, and only dilute back down with the technical additives.
We distill ethanol to 190 proof, nominal, and then dehydrate to 200proof, nominal, before denaturing back down with that 2.5% minimum of gasoline to preclude consumption,
But again, I can tell you, that 5% is NOT mostly water. At most, it’s going to be 1% water.

Good to know, I knew you could only distill ethanol up to about 95٪-96% at that point the water will not separate from the alcohol without mixing with something else, benzene usually. Didn't realize they'd go through all the trouble to make basically anhydrous ethanol before mixing in the additives. Makes sense though

 

[Hooda Thunkit]

Good ol everclear, you can clean with it, drink it, and use it as an antiseptic.

I maybe could a' drank it 40 years ago.

I ain't as eager to kill myself these days....

 

[Robert101]

I believe you can find Heet in the autoparts store. It is almost pure alcohol.

 

[edwardware]

. . .can one use denatured alcohol in the reloading room. Uses...cleaning dies, mixing with lanolin for case lube, all purpose load tools cleaning.

As a carrier for lanolin case lube, sure. You really don't want to degreaser dies or tools, so I can't see using it for that.

 

[.308 Norma]

Good ol everclear, you can clean with it, drink it, and use it as an antiseptic.

A couple of weeks ago, Everclear is what the lady in the liquor store recommended when I couldn't find rubbing alcohol anywhere - I needed it and aloe Vera gel to make a batch of homemade hand sanitizer.
It seems to be working, and I still have half a fifth left. I'm out of aloe Vera gel though, and that stuff's scarcer than 9mm ammo around here.

 

[cfullgraf]

...mixing with lanolin for case lube...

When I got involved with making alcohol/lanolin case lube, I think I remember that isopropyl alcohol was the one to use and denatured alcohol would not work or would not work as well.

But, I'll admit, I've slept a bit since then.

 

[Varminterror]

Good to know, I knew you could only distill ethanol up to about 95٪-96% at that point the water will not separate from the alcohol without mixing with something else, benzene usually. Didn't realize they'd go through all the trouble to make basically anhydrous ethanol before mixing in the additives. Makes sense though

Very, very, very few gallons of anhydrous alcohol are actually made by solvent extraction (benzene/hexane) at commercial scale. It works well enough in the lab for small volumes, but it’s not what we’re doing at scale. Most typically, it’s distilled to the 190proof azeotrope and then dehydrated in molecular sieves. Other alcohols are often purified with solvent extraction, but not Ethanol.

But yes, almost every gallon of fuel, industrial/tech, and potable grade ethanol I have ever seen produced in North America or the EU is “dried” to 200P to ensure there aren’t contaminants which would push the flavor or color spec off grade.

Which is always an interesting in conversation of global markets, because the Brazilians have been producing 189-190 proof distilled ethanol and using 1) for fuel and 2) in small engines for many, many years without issues, but everywhere else in the world has requirements for 200P, as it is claimed the higher moisture would cause emissions standard failures.... but measurements done on Brazilian fuel in the same engines proves the theory is false. We waste millions on millions of dollars every year on excess energy to dehydrate from 190-200P, largely for no reason.

 

[Varminterror]

When I got involved with making alcohol/lanolin case lube, I think I remember that isopropyl alcohol was the one to use and denatured alcohol would not work or would not work as well.

But, I'll admit, I've slept a bit since then.

This is largely true. IPA has a much lower partial pressure than ethanol, so it doesn’t evaporate away in your mix. Ethanol has to be replaced, otherwise you end up heavying your lanolin content as the ethanol evolves. IPA sticks around far better.

 

[Otto]

When I got involved with making alcohol/lanolin case lube, I think I remember that isopropyl alcohol was the one to use and denatured alcohol would not work or would not work as well.

You're right, isopropanol (commonly called Isopropyl) is whats recommended for case lube.The higher the percentage the better. Our grocery store sells 99% isopropyl but with Covid-19 the shelves have been empty for some time. Another source for isopropyl is ISO-HEET (red bottle) sold at WalMart in the automotive dept.

 

[Ramone]

A good source is a Marine supply store.

Sold as a ' clean air solvent's or boat stove fuel, I usually use the Sunnyside brand.

 

[kcofohio]

Denatured alcohol is preferred for cleaning precision tooling. Almost no residue left behind.

I ended up using denatured alcohol to dilute Lee's alox bullet lube. My second time of using the bottle of alox straight, while squeezing, the bottle cracked. I didn't realize until I felt it flowing onto my fingers. I know Lee suggested mineral spirits, but in a hurry to save as much as possible, I poured the alcohol in with the alox. Last I looked, it still hasn't blended all the way. But it is in the garage with no heat. Maybe if it is brought inside, it would blend.

 

[25-5]

i've used it for ever to clean accumulating powder residue on the Dillon.

 

[Hooda Thunkit]

I ended up using denatured alcohol to dilute Lee's alox bullet lube. My second time of using the bottle of alox straight, while squeezing, the bottle cracked. I didn't realize until I felt it flowing onto my fingers. I know Lee suggested mineral spirits, but in a hurry to save as much as possible, I poured the alcohol in with the alox. Last I looked, it still hasn't blended all the way. But it is in the garage with no heat. Maybe if it is brought inside, it would blend.

Alox is a petroleum product. Denatured alcohol is not a good choice to thin alox.

Thin alox with another petroleum product. Mineral spirits, naptha, paint thinner.