How many people keep something as nasty as MEK in their house?
Generally if your trying to disolve something then pick a solvent in the
same family as the ink is made out of. like disolves like is a general rule.
----- Original Message -----
From: "Peter Turnbull" <pete_at_dunnington.u-net.com>
To: <cctalk_at_classiccmp.org>
Sent: Friday, May 16, 2003 1:49 PM
Subject: Re: Removing duct tape residue.
> On May 16, 3:55, vance_at_neurotica.com wrote:
> > I usually see isopropanol rather than methanol at the pharmacist.
>
> It may depend on the pharmacy, and methanol is more likely to be in the
> back room than the front shelf. IPA is sold as "rubbing alcohol" in
> the States, "methylated spirit" for a variety of purpose is commonly
> available in the UK and most of Europe -- it's a mixture of ethanol and
> methanol (plus dye). The point, however, is that methanol is a better
> solvent for felt-tip and ballpoint pen inks than isopropanol is, and
> that's what the original reference was about, IIRC.
>
> For glue residue (incl. duct tape), though, what we call "white spirit"
> or "turpentine substitute" (not to be confused with cellulose paint
> thinner) in the UK, is better than any of the common alcohols.
>
> None of the above will have any effect on most plastics, unlike
> toluene, MEK, acetone, ..., all of which are solvents for many plastics
> (in fact, for most non-waxy plastics, which leaves little but polythene
> and PTFE).
>
> --
> Pete Peter Turnbull
> Network Manager
> University of York
Received on Fri May 16 2003 - 13:37:36 BST