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

[Robert Bannon]

Any suggestions of common household chemicals that can dilute gasoline?

I use gasoline as a home goo-gone substitute for removing labels.
Most often I do it outside, because of the stink, but I want to keep it
inside in tiny amounts, diluted as much as possible.

I've already tried all the common home chemicals from alcohol to acetone to
lemon juice to engine degreaser to dish detergent to brake cleaner to windex
to automatic-transmission fluid and MAF cleaner, all of which work sometimes
but all of which fail often (either because they melt the container or they
don't dissolve the goo).

I've even tried common flavorings such as orange blossom extract, rose
water, pure lemon extract, coconut oil and walnut oil, which, surprisingly,
are totally useless (but they do smell the best!).

I've found, through decades of experience, that gasoline, which also fails
sometimes, works more often than any other household common chemical.

But gasoline has all the problems that most of you will love to "teach" me,
but that's not the question (so please don't try to teach me why gasoline
vapors are flammable and why I should goo-be-gone outdoors because I know
that).

Also please don't try to teach me that there are commercial lemon-oil
solutions.

I just want to dilute the gasoline and I already know that even the diluted
gasoline vapors will be flammable. We take risks sometimes when working
around the house and not being a pussy about it all the time.

So I plan to keep a small jar of gasoline properly labeled under the kitchen
sink (let's not go into the dangers of doing that, because properly diluting
it won't solve that danger for the most part).

Without being a pussy about the question, do you have any suggestion that
you think might work best to dilute the gasoline 10:1 (or even 100:1) so
that I'm using the minimum effective amount of gasoline indoors?

What can I 'cut' the gasoline with that will mix with the gas and dilute it
(maybe 10:1 or even maybe 100:1)?

Any suggestions of common household chemicals that can dilute gasoline?

 

[Robert Bannon]

On Sat, 19 Nov 2016 00:22:22 +0000, Stormin' Norman wrote:

Ethanol, 2 cycle engine oil, methanol.

That said, you are better off using wd-40, turpentine or mineral spirits instead of gasoline. WD-40 does a
great job removing labels.

Interesting suggestions!
For different reasons.

1. Because I long ago found common household isopropyl alcohol useless as a
goo-be-gone substitute, I had forgotten that they "cut" gasoline 15% in cars
using corn alcohol, so, why hadn't I thought of cutting the gasoline with
"alcohol"?

So thanks for that suggestion - but it seems to come with a problem.

The problem of course, is that ethanol isn't easy to come by cheaply, even
though it, itself, is as cheap as corn. Even in the cheapest grain alcohol
that I can find at a liquor store, it's almost certainly gonna be far more
expensive than the gasoline that I'm cutting.

So, it might work, but it defeats the purpose of a cheap home remedy.
(Unless there is a methanol source that is cheap?)

2. Two stroke engine oil. Again, this is a great suggestion (if it works).
But it too seems to come with a problem.

The problem is that, while we all routinely cut our two-stroke tools'
gasoline with 40:1 and 50:1 two-stroke oil, the cutting is in the opposite
direction. We're actually cutting the oil with gasoline, and not cutting the
gasoline with oil.

So, a reverse dilution of 10 parts oil and 1 part gasoline doesn't seem, on
first inspection, to be a viable solution (because it may be too oily, which
is antagonistic to the original goal).

3. I had tried wd40 in the past and found it not useful but maybe I need to
try it again? Like everyone, I grew up with WD-40 and 3-in-one cans always
on the garage shelf, but over the years, I have found far too many people
suggesting wd40 for far too many things, where, in EVERY CASE I ever
investigated, there was a far better miracle-in-a-can than WD-40.

WD-40 stinks worse than gasoline, by the way, to me anyway - where it gives
me a headache, so, for that reason alone, it would be no good. But even if I
could handle the stink of WD-40, from memory, it's just a "displacement
fluid" which I don't see *any* use of which doesn't have a better solution
for what it does (whether that be cracking nuts or "lubricating" garage
springs or whatever).

In short, I haven't had WD-40 around in years because I stopped believing in
miracles in a can. But if it works at a 10:1 ratio of 10 parts WD40 to 1
part gasoline, maybe that might be feasible?

4. On Turpentime and mineral spirits, I went to the hardware store recently
to get MEK and they can't even sell that in California. I think I was
looking at the other "solvents" like paint thinner, and they can't sell them
either except at "substitutes". I'll have to look again, but I've already
tried all the "solvents" that I had in my garage, which is as cluttered as
anyone's so I had plenty of paint thinners there (but I didn't mention that
in the OP).

Still, they may be the BEST bet yet, so I'm glad you brought them up.
a. Except in California, they're pretty commonly available
b. They're cheap enough to use at 10 parts solvent & 1 part gasoline
c. They are solvents so they won't be antagonistic to the original goal

I'll head off to the hardware store to see what California chemicals I can
find that are cheap and that are solvents that I can cut at a 10:1 ratio of
solvent to gasoline.

 

[Robert Bannon]

On Fri, 18 Nov 2016 19:47:59 -0500, Frank wrote:

> I have chemical suggestions but what you want to do is just plain dumb.

Men (real men) handle danger.

You never worked on a car engine?
Or rode a motorcycle?
Or used a chainsaw?

Men (real men) handle danger.
They just make sure they know what they're doing first.

That's why I'm asking the question in the first place.

 

[Robert Bannon]

On Fri, 18 Nov 2016 19:37:42 -0500, dadiOH wrote:

oil
alcohol

The two-stroke oil idea made sense that it will mix with gasoline, but it's
oily which seems to defeat the goal.

The alchol is almost certainly the best idea, but I was thinking "ethanol",
which is only available diluted with water (as vodka, for example), which is
too much water in California where even everclear is restricted in
concentration by the nanny state (and probably too expensive anyway).

But, I did not think about using isopropyl rubbing alcohol, which is cheap
and readily available at Costco.

The reason I didn't think of it is because it in and of itself didn't work
at all, but if I use it to cut the gas at 10 parts alcohol to 1 part
gasoline, it might have enough gas to still work.

I will try that and let you know.

 

[Robert Bannon]

On Fri, 18 Nov 2016 19:35:10 -0500, JC wrote:

> You are the fucking idiot that ALWAYS turns up at a wet bonfire arn't you.

This is a thinking question for scientists; not a nanny question.

Well if you really want to set fire to your house you can add denatured
alcohol, available in walmart but really, gasoline just stinks and I
wouldn't want it anywhere in my house. Garage is bad enough.

I think the methanol suggestion is probably best, but the problem is that
getting any alcohol in California is problematic.

Looking up "denatured alcohol" for Walmart this says the item is no longer
available:
Klean Strip Denatured Alcohol, 1qt, Walmart #: 001252149
https://www.walmart.com/ip/Klean-Strip-Denatured-Alcohol-1qt/17208795

Removing goop/labels.

1) Try WD40
2? Try WD40 and denatured alcohol combined.

I have never found WD-40 to be useful, and it stinks (to me) far worse than
does gasoline. It gives me a headache.

3) Dependent on what the goop is on and if its painted add a drop of
Acetone (also in Walmart) or use pure Acetone.

I have plenty of acetone but it doesn't work well on most of the goo (but it
works great on removing painted stuff on plastic). My kids use my shop
acetone as a fingernail polish remover and it works great for that too (but
dries their skin).

Acetone tends to melt far more stuff than did the gasoline.
As I said in the OP, I gave up on the acetone, but, I didn't think of using
it as the solution to cut the gasoline.

So I will try a small amount of 50:50 acetone to gasoline, which will be my
starter fluid.

> 4) Isopropyl alcohol 90% (Walmart) shifts stuff 1-3 wont.

Since rubbing alcohol didn't work in and of itself, I hadn't thought of
using it as the diluent, but it has the best chance of working.

So, I think I'll try out a 50:50 mix of rubbing alcohol and gasoline to see
how that works and then dilute further from there if it works well.

5) White spirit is almost as effective as gasoline, again add Acetone if
the subject wont be damaged.

It's problematic to get petroleum distillates in California, but they're
probably second only to the alcohol for cutting the gasoline. I will head
off to the hardware store to see what California spirits are still sold on
the shelves.

Don't use gasoline, it stinks and will blow up when your fag smoking
missus walks in.

What are you going to tell me when I tell you I actually use a chainsaw in
my back yard (without wearing leather pants!!!!!!!!!!!)?

Or that I actually climb up on a ladder or on my roof to clean the gutters
(without wearing an OSHA harness!!!!!!)?

Or that I actually light a fire inside my fireplace using actual matches and
wood tinder (without calling the Fire Department hotline ahead of time)?

Plus, you didn't even warn me about the gas going in my septic system!

 

[Robert Bannon]

On Fri, 18 Nov 2016 19:25:35 -0500, Ed Pawlowski wrote:

I bet the guys down at the firehouse know what to use. You should go
down and ask them.

I knew there would be nanny comments which add zero value.

I'm surmised you didn't nanny me on septic system comments in addition to
the fire house comment though.

StorminNormin kept to the scientific point, which was clearly what this
thread is about.

This is a thinking question for scientists; not a nanny question for
pussies.

This thread is only about what's the best readily available cheap solvent to
cut gasoline with so that the gas remains a solvent but has fewer of its
natural deleterious properties.

 

[Robert Bannon]

On Fri, 18 Nov 2016 17:15:08 -0800, Oren wrote:

Lighter fluid, NAPHTHA!

Did you try peanut butter on the labels?

Butane might cut gasoline, as you suggested.
Naptha is almost certain verboten in California.

But I'm not sure.
It's got to be sold in order for me to use it though.

I don't see naptha at Home Depot for example.
http://www.homedepot.com/b/Paint-Paint-Thinner-Additives-Solvents-Cleaners-Paint-Thinner-Solvents-Cleaners/Paint-Thinners-and-Strippers/N-5yc1vZc5bmZ1z0t5hf

 

[Robert Bannon]

On Fri, 18 Nov 2016 18:50:09 -0600, Dean Hoffman wrote:

Have you tried diesel fuel or kerosene to
remove labels?

Gasoline works best so far, but I have not tried home heating oil, but my
house is heated by propane.

I can try to cut the gasoline with kerosene though, which might be available
in California stores.

Otherwise, I'm going to have to purchase a yellow container because they
won't let you fuel into anything else if I buy it at the pump.

 

[Ken Layton]

On Friday, November 18, 2016 at 5:15:14 PM UTC-8, Oren wrote:

On Sat, 19 Nov 2016 00:05:58 -0000 (UTC), Robert Bannon
rbannon@yahoo.spam.nowhere.invalid> wrote:

I've found, through decades of experience, that gasoline, which also fails
sometimes, works more often than any other household common chemical.

Lighter fluid, NAPHTHA!

Did you try peanut butter on the labels?

I use common cigarette lighter fluid available everywhere in the tobacco section.

 

[Robert Bannon]

On Sat, 19 Nov 2016 01:23:05 -0000 (UTC), Robert Bannon wrote:

Or that I actually light a fire inside my fireplace using actual matches and
wood tinder (without calling the Fire Department hotline ahead of time)?

BTW, I don't mean to chastise you unduly, as you did try to help
scientifically.

It's just that telling me the obvious stuff about gasoline isn't helpful
since we all know the obvious stuff.

Of course, if mixing gasoline with, say, naphtha causes it to become
unstable or explosive or something like that which is NOT OBVIOUS, then by
all means warn me.

But to warn me that a chain saw can cut off my finger, or that I can fall
off a ladder or winding a garage door spring is dangerous or that running
while holding sharp scissors can hurt someone, is just wasting everyone's
time stating the obvious to people who know it already.

So, I'm ok with 'real' warnings. Just not useless California nanny warnings.
Make sense?

 

[whit3rd]

On Friday, November 18, 2016 at 4:06:00 PM UTC-8, Robert Bannon wrote:

Any suggestions of common household chemicals that can dilute gasoline?

I use gasoline as a home goo-gone substitute ...

The non-abrasive/non-orange waterless hand cleaners will make alkanes
emulsify and wash away with water. Instead of gasoline, just use a few drops
of odorless paint thinner, applied with an eyedropper.

Then rub some goop on it and wash off.

 

[Stormin' Norman]

On Sat, 19 Nov 2016 00:05:58 -0000 (UTC), Robert Bannon <rbannon@yahoo.spam.nowhere.invalid> wrote:

Any suggestions of common household chemicals that can dilute gasoline?

I use gasoline as a home goo-gone substitute for removing labels.
Most often I do it outside, because of the stink, but I want to keep it
inside in tiny amounts, diluted as much as possible.

I've already tried all the common home chemicals from alcohol to acetone to
lemon juice to engine degreaser to dish detergent to brake cleaner to windex
to automatic-transmission fluid and MAF cleaner, all of which work sometimes
but all of which fail often (either because they melt the container or they
don't dissolve the goo).

I've even tried common flavorings such as orange blossom extract, rose
water, pure lemon extract, coconut oil and walnut oil, which, surprisingly,
are totally useless (but they do smell the best!).

I've found, through decades of experience, that gasoline, which also fails
sometimes, works more often than any other household common chemical.

But gasoline has all the problems that most of you will love to "teach" me,
but that's not the question (so please don't try to teach me why gasoline
vapors are flammable and why I should goo-be-gone outdoors because I know
that).

Also please don't try to teach me that there are commercial lemon-oil
solutions.

I just want to dilute the gasoline and I already know that even the diluted
gasoline vapors will be flammable. We take risks sometimes when working
around the house and not being a pussy about it all the time.

So I plan to keep a small jar of gasoline properly labeled under the kitchen
sink (let's not go into the dangers of doing that, because properly diluting
it won't solve that danger for the most part).

Without being a pussy about the question, do you have any suggestion that
you think might work best to dilute the gasoline 10:1 (or even 100:1) so
that I'm using the minimum effective amount of gasoline indoors?

What can I 'cut' the gasoline with that will mix with the gas and dilute it
(maybe 10:1 or even maybe 100:1)?

Any suggestions of common household chemicals that can dilute gasoline?

Ethanol, 2 cycle engine oil, methanol.

That said, you are better off using wd-40, turpentine or mineral spirits instead of gasoline. WD-40 does a
great job removing labels.

 

[Ed Pawlowski]

On 11/18/2016 7:05 PM, Robert Bannon wrote:

Any suggestions of common household chemicals that can dilute gasoline?


But gasoline has all the problems that most of you will love to "teach" me,
but that's not the question (so please don't try to teach me why gasoline
vapors are flammable and why I should goo-be-gone outdoors because I know
that).

Also please don't try to teach me that there are commercial lemon-oil
solutions.

Nope, won't even call you an idiot for using gasoline in the house. For
liability reasons though, I won't tell you what can dilute it because
none are truly safe.

I bet the guys down at the firehouse know what to use. You should go
down and ask them.

 

[JC]

On 11/18/2016 7:05 PM, Robert Bannon wrote:

Any suggestions of common household chemicals that can dilute gasoline?

I use gasoline as a home goo-gone substitute for removing labels.
Most often I do it outside, because of the stink, but I want to keep it
inside in tiny amounts, diluted as much as possible.

I've already tried all the common home chemicals from alcohol to acetone to
lemon juice to engine degreaser to dish detergent to brake cleaner to windex
to automatic-transmission fluid and MAF cleaner, all of which work sometimes
but all of which fail often (either because they melt the container or they
don't dissolve the goo).

I've even tried common flavorings such as orange blossom extract, rose
water, pure lemon extract, coconut oil and walnut oil, which, surprisingly,
are totally useless (but they do smell the best!).

I've found, through decades of experience, that gasoline, which also fails
sometimes, works more often than any other household common chemical.

But gasoline has all the problems that most of you will love to "teach" me,
but that's not the question (so please don't try to teach me why gasoline
vapors are flammable and why I should goo-be-gone outdoors because I know
that).

Also please don't try to teach me that there are commercial lemon-oil
solutions.

I just want to dilute the gasoline and I already know that even the diluted
gasoline vapors will be flammable. We take risks sometimes when working
around the house and not being a pussy about it all the time.

So I plan to keep a small jar of gasoline properly labeled under the kitchen
sink (let's not go into the dangers of doing that, because properly diluting
it won't solve that danger for the most part).

Without being a pussy about the question, do you have any suggestion that
you think might work best to dilute the gasoline 10:1 (or even 100:1) so
that I'm using the minimum effective amount of gasoline indoors?

What can I 'cut' the gasoline with that will mix with the gas and dilute it
(maybe 10:1 or even maybe 100:1)?

Any suggestions of common household chemicals that can dilute gasoline?

You are the fucking idiot that ALWAYS turns up at a wet bonfire arn't you.
Well if you really want to set fire to your house you can add denatured
alcohol, available in walmart but really, gasoline just stinks and I
wouldn't want it anywhere in my house. Garage is bad enough.

Removing goop/labels.

1) Try WD40
2? Try WD40 and denatured alcohol combined.
3) Dependent on what the goop is on and if its painted add a drop of
Acetone (also in Walmart) or use pure Acetone.
4) Isopropyl alcohol 90% (Walmart) shifts stuff 1-3 wont.
5) White spirit is almost as effective as gasoline, again add Acetone if
the subject wont be damaged.

Don't use gasoline, it stinks and will blow up when your fag smoking
missus walks in.

 

[dadiOH]

"Robert Bannon" <rbannon@yahoo.spam.nowhere.invalid> wrote in message
news0o515$r7r$1@news.mixmin.net...

Any suggestions of common household chemicals that can dilute gasoline?

oil
alcohol

 

[Frank]

On 11/18/2016 7:05 PM, Robert Bannon wrote:

Any suggestions of common household chemicals that can dilute gasoline?

I use gasoline as a home goo-gone substitute for removing labels.
Most often I do it outside, because of the stink, but I want to keep it
inside in tiny amounts, diluted as much as possible.

I've already tried all the common home chemicals from alcohol to acetone to
lemon juice to engine degreaser to dish detergent to brake cleaner to windex
to automatic-transmission fluid and MAF cleaner, all of which work sometimes
but all of which fail often (either because they melt the container or they
don't dissolve the goo).

I've even tried common flavorings such as orange blossom extract, rose
water, pure lemon extract, coconut oil and walnut oil, which, surprisingly,
are totally useless (but they do smell the best!).

I've found, through decades of experience, that gasoline, which also fails
sometimes, works more often than any other household common chemical.

But gasoline has all the problems that most of you will love to "teach" me,
but that's not the question (so please don't try to teach me why gasoline
vapors are flammable and why I should goo-be-gone outdoors because I know
that).

Also please don't try to teach me that there are commercial lemon-oil
solutions.

I just want to dilute the gasoline and I already know that even the diluted
gasoline vapors will be flammable. We take risks sometimes when working
around the house and not being a pussy about it all the time.

So I plan to keep a small jar of gasoline properly labeled under the kitchen
sink (let's not go into the dangers of doing that, because properly diluting
it won't solve that danger for the most part).

Without being a pussy about the question, do you have any suggestion that
you think might work best to dilute the gasoline 10:1 (or even 100:1) so
that I'm using the minimum effective amount of gasoline indoors?

What can I 'cut' the gasoline with that will mix with the gas and dilute it
(maybe 10:1 or even maybe 100:1)?

Any suggestions of common household chemicals that can dilute gasoline?

I have chemical suggestions but what you want to do is just plain dumb.

 

[Dean Hoffman]

On 11/18/16 6:05 PM, Robert Bannon wrote:
> Any suggestions of common household chemicals that can dilute gasoline?

No. A question though. Have you tried diesel fuel or kerosene to
remove labels?

A bunch cut.

 

[Oren]

On Sat, 19 Nov 2016 00:05:58 -0000 (UTC), Robert Bannon
<rbannon@yahoo.spam.nowhere.invalid> wrote:

I've found, through decades of experience, that gasoline, which also fails
sometimes, works more often than any other household common chemical.

Lighter fluid, NAPHTHA!

Did you try peanut butter on the labels?

 

On Sat, 19 Nov 2016 01:23:05 -0000 (UTC), Robert Bannon
<rbannon@yahoo.spam.nowhere.invalid> wrote:

On Fri, 18 Nov 2016 19:35:10 -0500, JC wrote:

You are the fucking idiot that ALWAYS turns up at a wet bonfire arn't you.

This is a thinking question for scientists; not a nanny question.



Well if you really want to set fire to your house you can add denatured
alcohol, available in walmart but really, gasoline just stinks and I
wouldn't want it anywhere in my house. Garage is bad enough.

I think the methanol suggestion is probably best, but the problem is that
getting any alcohol in California is problematic.

Looking up "denatured alcohol" for Walmart this says the item is no longer
available:
Klean Strip Denatured Alcohol, 1qt, Walmart #: 001252149
https://www.walmart.com/ip/Klean-Strip-Denatured-Alcohol-1qt/17208795

Removing goop/labels.

1) Try WD40
2? Try WD40 and denatured alcohol combined.

I have never found WD-40 to be useful, and it stinks (to me) far worse than
does gasoline. It gives me a headache.

3) Dependent on what the goop is on and if its painted add a drop of
Acetone (also in Walmart) or use pure Acetone.

I have plenty of acetone but it doesn't work well on most of the goo (but it
works great on removing painted stuff on plastic). My kids use my shop
acetone as a fingernail polish remover and it works great for that too (but
dries their skin).

Acetone tends to melt far more stuff than did the gasoline.
As I said in the OP, I gave up on the acetone, but, I didn't think of using
it as the solution to cut the gasoline.

So I will try a small amount of 50:50 acetone to gasoline, which will be my
starter fluid.

4) Isopropyl alcohol 90% (Walmart) shifts stuff 1-3 wont.

Since rubbing alcohol didn't work in and of itself, I hadn't thought of
using it as the diluent, but it has the best chance of working.

Except rubbing alcohol is about 30% water (up to over 50%)

So, I think I'll try out a 50:50 mix of rubbing alcohol and gasoline to see
how that works and then dilute further from there if it works well.

5) White spirit is almost as effective as gasoline, again add Acetone if
the subject wont be damaged.

It's problematic to get petroleum distillates in California, but they're
probably second only to the alcohol for cutting the gasoline. I will head
off to the hardware store to see what California spirits are still sold on
the shelves.

Don't use gasoline, it stinks and will blow up when your fag smoking
missus walks in.

What are you going to tell me when I tell you I actually use a chainsaw in
my back yard (without wearing leather pants!!!!!!!!!!!)?

Or that I actually climb up on a ladder or on my roof to clean the gutters
(without wearing an OSHA harness!!!!!!)?

Or that I actually light a fire inside my fireplace using actual matches and
wood tinder (without calling the Fire Department hotline ahead of time)?

Plus, you didn't even warn me about the gas going in my septic system!

 

On Fri, 18 Nov 2016 20:56:01 -0600, Dean Hoffman
<dh0496@windstream.net> wrote:

On 11/18/16 8:02 PM, Robert Bannon wrote:
On Fri, 18 Nov 2016 17:15:08 -0800, Oren wrote:

Lighter fluid, NAPHTHA!

Did you try peanut butter on the labels?

Butane might cut gasoline, as you suggested. Naptha is almost certain
verboten in California.

But I'm not sure. It's got to be sold in order for me to use it
though.

I don't see naptha at Home Depot for example.
http://www.homedepot.com/b/Paint-Paint-Thinner-Additives-Solvents-Cleaners-Paint-Thinner-Solvents-Cleaners/Paint-Thinners-and-Strippers/N-5yc1vZc5bmZ1z0t5hf


Lantern fuel?
or "camp gas"