What Is Denatured Alcohol

Denatured alcohol is a mild solvent that is fast-evaporating and toxic. It is ethanol that includes a number of additives, thereby making it poisonous, unpalatable, and hence, undrinkable. The word “denature” symbolizes eliminating a property out of alcohol, thereby declaring it as unsafe for drinking. It is mostly used as a household paint remover and solvent. Due to its varied use in industries, denatured alcohol is combined with several additives, the most common being methanol. Other typical additives are isopropyl alcohol, acetone, methyl ethyl ketone, methyl isobutyl ketone, and denatonium. With its wide multiplicity of uses, denatured alcohol can easily be found at hardware stores or any other store that supplies painting materials. Despite being toxic and harmful for consumption, some people consume denatured alcohol as a surrogate alcohol which is as dangerous as causing blindness or even death, in case it contains methanol. As such, to cut out the effects of methanol, denatonium is added to give the liquid a bitter flavor. Read through the following lines to find out the different uses of denatured alcohol.

 

 

In case you are working on a carpentry project that involves sanding wood, then denatured alcohol helps in removing any excess sawdust that could be caught in the grain and provides a softer and smoother finish. Since denatured alcohol evaporates quickly, you can easily sand the grain that has risen to the surface of the wood.

 

Denatured alcohol works as a great hard surface cleaner and removes tough stains and dirt. It is best used for tiles, wood, metal, plastic, and any other hard surface when traditional cleaning agents are unable to remove them. Apart from hard surfaces, denatured alcohol works effectively on glass as well. Since it evaporates quickly, it does not leave behind any kind of streaks on windows or mirrors. As such, it can be safely used on color-safe fabrics also. It can even be used for removing light scratches, greasy areas, and clean keyboards.

 

Most woodworkers and carpenters apply their own shellac or varnish to protect wood. Shellac is a natural resin that is derived from a certain tree bug and is mixed with denatured alcohol to achieve a sticky substance that, when brushed on wood, protects it from scratches and UV rays. Besides, it provides a glaze and more pleasurable color to the wood.

 

People who often camp or spend considerable time outdoors use denatured alcohol for cooking purposes. It is used in alcohol cooking stoves that are easily portable and fairly inexpensive as well. Denatured alcohol can be easily extinguished with water and can be carried to places without any specific precautions. As such, campers often carry denatured alcohol with them to places in a discarded water bottle for preparing their meals.

 

Denatured alcohol finds itself being used in printmaking very frequently. It is capable of easily dissolving the rosin, the solid form of resin extracted from different plants and pines, which is used in both stop-out varnish and Aquatint.

 

If you have repaired wood furniture and have lots of glue visible, you can use denatured alcohol to get rid of it. Simply soak a rag in denatured alcohol and apply to the glue to remove it before it dries out.

 

Red wine when split on clothing, upholstery, and carpet stains and spreads quickly. Soak the stained area with denatured alcohol and flush the area with white vinegar to remove any left out red wine in the affected area. This treatment can also be performed on delicate fabrics.

 

To provide a final finish to wood furniture, it is necessary to remove any residual wax coatings before applying a layer of new stain or paint. Soak a rag in denatured alcohol and rub the affected area on the piece of furniture to remove all the wax finish. Thereafter, you can continue with providing a finish to your furniture.

 

Denatured alcohol has been very effective in removing mildew from leather surfaces. Mix equal parts of denatured alcohol and water. Dip a cotton ball in the solution and apply to the affected part of leather. However, avoid using denatured alcohol on suede or leather that has been dyed.

 

Now that you know what denatured alcohol is and its varied uses, consume it with precautions, only if you must. Conversely, utilize it to the most for which it is renowned across.