White spirit
The petroleum solvent the leather and carpet trades name for oil marks. One substance under three names, and it attacks plastic, rubber and coatings.
What not to do
White spirit is unsafe on Household plastics
Unsafe
Do not do this. The risk is established, and it is described below.
Precautions
- Ventilate the area
- Test on an inconspicuous area first
Evidence
Strongly supported
Sources
Right to Know Hazardous Substance Fact Sheet: Stoddard Solvent (RTK 1736)
New Jersey Department of Health, 2008 · Government or regulator
Relied on for: That Stoddard solvent attacks plastic, rubber and coatings. (states this directly)
White spirit is unsafe on Natural rubber
Unsafe
Do not do this. The risk is established, and it is described below.
Evidence
Strongly supported
Sources
Right to Know Hazardous Substance Fact Sheet: Stoddard Solvent (RTK 1736)
New Jersey Department of Health, 2008 · Government or regulator
Relied on for: That Stoddard solvent attacks plastic, rubber and coatings. (states this directly)
White spirit is unsafe on Door liner
Unsafe
Do not do this. The risk is established, and it is described below.
Evidence
Supported
Sources
Cleaning the Interior of the Refrigerator
Whirlpool Corporation · Manufacturer documentation
Relied on for: That warm water with mild dish soap and a microfibre cloth is used, that gaskets are cleaned with a damp cloth and mild soap lifting the folds, that all parts must be completely dry before reinstalling, and that abrasives, window sprays, scouring cleansers, waxes, concentrated detergents, bleaches and petroleum-based cleansers must not be used on plastic parts, liners or gaskets. (states this directly)
White spirit is unsafe on Crisper drawer
Unsafe
Do not do this. The risk is established, and it is described below.
Evidence
Supported
Sources
Cleaning the Interior of the Refrigerator
Whirlpool Corporation · Manufacturer documentation
Relied on for: That abrasive or harsh cleaners such as window sprays, scouring cleansers, flammable fluids, cleaning waxes, concentrated detergents, bleaches and cleansers containing petroleum products must not be used on plastic parts, interior and door liners, or gaskets. (inferred from the source; not stated directly)
White spirit is unsafe on Fridge door seal
Unsafe
Do not do this. The risk is established, and it is described below.
Evidence
Supported
Sources
Cleaning the Interior of the Refrigerator
Whirlpool Corporation · Manufacturer documentation
Relied on for: That abrasive or harsh cleaners such as window sprays, scouring cleansers, flammable fluids, cleaning waxes, concentrated detergents, bleaches and cleansers containing petroleum products must not be used on plastic parts, interior and door liners, or gaskets. (inferred from the source; not stated directly)
White spirit may damage Helmet foam liner
Best avoided
The available guidance advises against this.
Almost all helmet foams are damaged by petroleum-based solvents, and the damage may not be visible.
Evidence
Supported
Sources
Bicycle Helmet Liner Materials, and Painting a Bicycle Helmet
Bicycle Helmet Safety Institute · Credible secondary source
Relied on for: That almost all foams used in bicycle helmets are damaged by petroleum-based solvents, and that foam damage is often not apparent on casual inspection. Applied here to white spirit, which is a petroleum solvent. (inferred from the source; not stated directly)
Precautions
- Ventilate the area
- Wear gloves
- Test on an inconspicuous area first
- Keep away from children and pets
- Dispose of responsibly
In detail
White spirit, mineral spirits and Stoddard solvent are one substance under a British name, an American name and a regulatory one, which is why guidance that recommends it can look like three different recommendations. The regulator's description is a clear colourless liquid with a kerosene-like odour, used to thin paints, in coatings, waxes and ink, for dry cleaning and for degreasing. It is the solvent behind two of the treatments in trade guidance: the leather institute's instruction for an oil mark on suede reaches for odourless mineral spirits after a powder has been tried, and the carpet institute's solvent branch names a dry-cleaning type solvent for every greasy and resinous spill. Its usefulness is that it dissolves oils and waxes while being far less aggressive than acetone. Its limit is on the same sheet in one line: it attacks plastic, rubber and coatings. A solvent applied to an oil mark on a sofa that runs onto the plastic trim, or that reaches a carpet backing, is doing exactly what the sheet says it does. It is combustible, and ignition sources are prohibited where it is used or stored.
Properties
- Chemical name
- Stoddard solvent
- pH
- Not applicable
What works
White spirit is effective against Oil and grease on textile Supported
White spirit is effective against Oil-based paint Supported
Effective on wet paint. A fully cured film is cross-linked and no longer soluble in it.
White spirit is safe on, in specific conditions, Finished wood flooring
Safe only in specific conditions
This is only appropriate within specific limits, and nothing is established outside them.
Only within these limits:
- Test on a small inconspicuous area first; if the finish softens, stop and do not clean the piece
- Only on a sound, stable, clear finish — not on cracked, raised, flaking, embrittled or painted finishes
- Not on wax applied over bare wood, which these methods damage
- Rewax once the wood has dried completely
The solubility test is a gate rather than a precaution: the source's instruction where the finish softens is to stop altogether, not to proceed more gently.
Precautions
- Test on an inconspicuous area first
- Ventilate the area
- Wear gloves
Evidence
Supported
Sources
Conserve O Gram 7/1: Cleaning Wood Furniture
National Park Service, US Department of the Interior, 1993 · Government or regulator
Relied on for: That mineral spirits applied with a cotton swab to a small inconspicuous area is the solubility test, that the piece must not be cleaned if the finish softens, that the surface is then wiped with a cloth dampened with mineral spirits and left several hours to dry, and that the wax coating must be replaced afterwards. (states this directly)
Why
- White spirit is explained by Solubility and polarity
- White spirit is explained by Solvents and polymers
- White spirit is explained by Skin is not a surface
- White spirit is explained by Why the recommendation is usually the mild one
Sources for this page
Sources
Right to Know Hazardous Substance Fact Sheet: Stoddard Solvent (RTK 1736)
New Jersey Department of Health, 2008 · Government or regulator
Relied on for: That Stoddard solvent, white spirits and mineral spirits are one substance, that it is used for dry cleaning and degreasing, that it is combustible, and that it attacks plastic, rubber and coatings. (states this directly)