Description
Wood Finishing All Natural Citrus Solvent Gallon - A Natural Replacement for Mineral Spirits and Paint Thinners
The Real Milk Paint Company
Citrus Natural Solvent is a direct replacement for mineral spirits, paint thinner and odorless mineral spirits. Citrus Solvent can be used wherever paint thinner or mineral spirits are required as a natural, safer alternative.
"Citrus Solvent" is not the same as Citrus Solve or Citri Solve or any of the host of other cleaning products on the market. It is however an excellent degreaser and can be used to replace paint thinner and petroleum chemicals such as mineral spirits. "Citrus Solvent" is 98% pure citrus peel oil extracted from the peel of the orange fruit. The other 2% is water. This small amount of water is emulsified in the solvent and will not raise wood grain but is released into the air as the solvent evaporates.
"Citrus Solvent" does not contain any emulsions, surfactants or any other additives that paint thinner products do. Our brand of Citrus solvent is "Water Clear" and not deep orange like lower grades. "Water Clear" means that it will not add more amber color when mixed with Pure Tung Oil. Our "Citrus Solvent" does not contribute to depletion of the upper ozone or to smog like mineral spirits or paint thinner, but is gently returned to earth with the rain. Actually it is continuously being released into the air in every orange grove.
Unlike paint thinner, our "Citrus Solvent" does not promote damage in the internal organs of the body when breathed but is passed through. As a matter of fact, when you drink orange juice from the store, you drink small amounts of Citrus Solvent. However this does not mean to throw caution to the wind and celebrate by taking a healthy swig of solvent.
Another advantage Citrus Natural Solvent has over paint thinner is that Citrus Natural Solvent can be easily disposed of with no threat to the environment.
HISTORY:
Citrus Natural Solvent is a biodegradable solvent occurring in nature as the main component of citrus peel oil. Citrus Solvent’s interesting chemical properties, pleasant citrus aroma, & FDA-GRAS rating ("generally recognized as safe") have earned the product phenomenal acceptance in many diverse chemical applications. Citrus Solvent can be used in its pure form blended with most other solvents & drying oils.
USES & APPLICATIONS:
As a straight solvent, citrus natural solvent can replace a wide variety of products, including paint thinner, mineral spirits, methyl ethyl ketone, acetone, toluene, glycol ethers, and of course fluorinated and chlorinated organic solvents. Replacement for toxic chlorinated solvents, glycol ether, MEK (methyl ethyl ketone), xylene, Freon, and CFC’s parts cleaner, engine degreaser (automotive, aircraft and aerospace industries), electronics cleaning, tar and asphalt remover, asbestos shingle remover, graffiti remover, grease trap maintainer, lift station and sewage treatment applications, hand cleaner, floor cleaner, printing press cleaner, carpet stain cleaner, metal cleaner, aerosol ingredient, fragrance additive, deodorant for petroleum industry, heat transfer medium, and possible candidate for a variety of medical applications.
Citrus Natural Solvent is the major component of the oil extracted from citrus rind. When citrus fruits are juiced, the oil is pressed out of the rind. This oil is separated from the juice, and distilled to recover certain flavor and fragrance compounds. The bulk of the oil is left behind and collected. This is food grade citrus solvent. After the juicing process, the peels are conveyed to a steam extractor. This extracts more of the oil from the peel. When the steam has been condensed, a layer of oil then floats on the surface of the condensed water. The result is technical grade citrus solvent, the type of citrus solvent we offer.
In the past decade, the use of citrus natural solvent has expanded tremendously. Much of the product goes into making paint solids, used into impart an orange fragrance to products, and used as a secondary cooling fluid. But the largest growth segment has been the use of citrus solvent in cleaning products. This has occurred in both industrial uses and in household/institutional products. Citrus solvent can be used either as a straight solvent, or as a water dilatable product.
As with most organic solvents, citrus natural solvent, is not water soluble, so it can be used in the typical water separation units. With KB value of 67, citrus solvent has solubility properties close to that of CFC’s indicating that it is a much better solvent than a typical mineral spirit or paint thinner. Straight citrus solvent can be used as a wipe cleaner, in a dip bath, or in spray systems as a direct substitute for most other organic solvents.
Note: Citrus Natural Solvent can only be ground shipped through UPS (Go Brown) because of it flammability rating; therefore, overnight, second day or any air deliveries are not possible. Whenever possible, it is easier for us to ship UPS as they have a complete tracking system which allows us to track the package.
FAQs – Mineral Spirits and Natural Citrus Solvent
Q: How does Citrus Solvent differ from mineral spirits?
A: Citrus Solvent is orange peel oil. It is the natural clear liquid that is in the rind of the orange. Citrus Solvent is an organic substance, in contrast to Mineral spirits, which is created through a chemical process called "Oil Cracking". Mineral spirits is a by-product from the manufacture of gasoline. Citrus Solvent on the other hand is a by-product of the orange juice industry from squeezing oranges. After the orange juice is squeezed the peels are then sent back to be further squeezed to extract the Citrus Solvent from the peels. The liquid is collect for other uses. Citrus Solvent does not cause any ozone depletion or contamination. Even if the orange peels were discarded the Citrus Solvent would be release to the air regardless.
Q: How does Citrus Solvent work? Is it just like regular paint thinner?
A: Citrus Solvent will evaporate like paint thinner but just a little bit slower. However, the fumes are much safer.
Q: What are the benefits of using Citrus Solvent as odorless mineral spirits?
A: Citrus Solvent is not odorless but does have an orange smell. Lower quality odorless mineral spirits may be more toxic than Citrus Solvent. Extended long term exposure to any and all solvents are not recomended.
Q: Can Citrus Solvent be used for degreasing, the way mineral spirits can?
A: Yes, Citrus Solvent makes an excellent degreaser. In many cases it works better than mineral spirits.
Q: Is Citrus Solvent safer to use on antiques than paint thinner?
A: Citrus Solvent is a good degreaser and works well for de-waxing. Citrus solvent would be safe for almost all finishes except for some delicate water base films.
Q: Do I need to wear a mask and gloves when working with Citrus Solvent as an odorless mineral spirit?
A: Gloves would be good to wear if you have sensitive skin. Citrus Solvent can dry out the skin. Good ventilation is recommended if you are doing a large project. An organic filter mask is recommended for protection from odorless mineral spirits.
Q: When using Citrus Solvent in place of paint thinner or mineral spirits, is the same amount of product used?
A: Yes, the exact same amount of Citrus Solvent is required in place of paint thinner or mineral spirits.
Q: How fast does Citrus Solvent evaporate compared to paint thinner and mineral spirits?
A: Citrus Solvent will dry a bit slower than paint thinner or mineral spirits.
Q: Does Citrus Solvent require as much ventilation during use as mineral spirits or paint thinner?
A: Ventilation would be recommended for all solvents.
Q: Is Citrus Solvent safer to store than mineral spirits or paint thinner?
A: Recommended storage for Citrus Solvent would be the same as for mineral spirits and paint thinner.
Q: What are mineral spirits?
A: Mineral spirits are a low volatility petroleum derivative commonly used as a substitute for turpentine for paint thinning. Originally developed in the late twenties, mineral spirits were first created as a formula for the dry cleaning industry. Today, mineral spirits are used in a number of applications as a cleaner, degreaser, and lubricant. Mineral spirits are created through the combination of various chemicals with hydrocarbons into three basic types. The most commonly used for paint applications is type II odorless mineral spirits. Although mineral spirits are considered safe as cleaner, OSHA, the Occupational Health and Safety Administration, warns of "potential acute health effects" including irritation of the skin and eyes, and the hazardous potential of mineral spirits if ingested or inhaled. Furthermore, mineral spirits are toxic to the lungs and nervous system, and "repeated or prolonged exposure" can produce "target organs damage".
Wood Finishing All Natural Citrus Solvent - A Natural Replacement for Mineral Spirits and Paint Thinners!