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  1. #1
    Wax Waster Ronkh's Avatar
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    IPA or Denatured alcohol

    Whatever the dealer put on my car will not come off the windshield. When it`s wet, it looks like cracks in the glass.

    So is IPA or denatured alcohol better to try to dissolve it?
    Formerly the "Best Detailer", now just Super Wax Waster Man. Not necessarily tactful, but normally right. It`s good to be da King !!!

  2. #2
    Just a regular guy Todd@RUPES's Avatar
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    Re: IPA or Denatured alcohol

    I don`t have a lot of experience with denatured alc. so I cannot really comment. If IPA doesn`t work, maybe 3M Adhesive Remover?

  3. #3
    lyodbraun's Avatar
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    What was the stuff put on for
    In the first place ?

    Sent from my DROID RAZR using Tapatalk 4

  4. #4
    Swanicyouth's Avatar
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    Denatured alcohol is ethanol (the alcohol you drink) with different additives to make it poisonous to drink. This is done so you don`t go down to CVS and buy a bottle of ethanol for $1.99 and drink it. Since its for medical use, the government doesn`t tax it. Since its "denatured", the government doesn`t regulate who can buy it or how much they can buy. That`s why it has to be made not fit to drink. They usually add a little methanol or IPA to ethanol to "denature" it, but they can add anything.

    Being that "anything" can be in alcohol/denatured alcohol/methylated spirits/medical ethanol (all the same) - it`s probably better to use IPA which is fairly pure. Isopropyl is not fit for human consumption in its own right and doesn`t require "denaturing".

  5. #5
    tropicsteve's Avatar
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    Re: IPA or Denatured alcohol

    i wouldn`t be afraid to use paint thinner, acetone, etc. on the glass, just keep it off trim, plastics or paint of course. (phosphoric acid is the only acid that will etch glass)
    if you think the factory may have applied some type of scratch resistant coating, i would hold off and contact them first. i sent you a pm.

  6. #6

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    Re: IPA or Denatured alcohol

    Quote Originally Posted by Swanicyouth View Post
    Denatured alcohol is ethanol (the alcohol you drink) with different additives to make it poisonous to drink. This is done so you don`t go down to CVS and buy a bottle of ethanol for $1.99 and drink it. Since its for medical use, the government doesn`t tax it. Since its "denatured", the government doesn`t regulate who can buy it or how much they can buy. That`s why it has to be made not fit to drink. They usually add a little methanol or IPA to ethanol to "denature" it, but they can add anything.

    Being that "anything" can be in alcohol/denatured alcohol/methylated spirits/medical ethanol (all the same) - it`s probably better to use IPA which is fairly pure. Isopropyl is not fit for human consumption in its own right and doesn`t require "denaturing".

    IIRC denatured alcohol is methyl alcohol (wood alcohol) and quite toxic to drink.

  7. #7
    Nth Degree's Avatar
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    Re: IPA or Denatured alcohol

    Denatured Alcohol should work very well on glass. I use it to remove sticker residue on the interior of windshields. Just don`t get it on the dash. If it`s on the outside you are working on you could just go with CeriGlass.

  8. #8
    Swanicyouth's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by M K J View Post
    IIRC denatured alcohol is methyl alcohol (wood alcohol) and quite toxic to drink.
    The reason they denature alcohol is so people won`t drink it. The only alcohol that is denatured is ethanol, which is drinking alcohol - or the stuff that makes you drunk. The reason its denatured is because it`s used OTC for medical use and not regulated and taxed.

    They can add any toxic substance to it to denature it, and you have "denatured alcohol". Methanol (wood alcohol) isn`t easily available OTC - just isopropyl and ethanol. However, they could be adding a small amount of that as the denaturing agent.

    But honestly, I think they mostly add a bit of isopropyl in most OTC ethanol.

  9. #9
    Addicted2Bling's Avatar
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    Re: IPA or Denatured alcohol

    Yes any kind of solvent will work. I`ve been using straight acetone with no problems to remove sticker and tape residue, even degreaser will work. Purple power, any APC will help take it out
    Get your shine on!

  10. #10

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    Re: IPA or Denatured alcohol

    Quote Originally Posted by Swanicyouth View Post
    The reason they denature alcohol is so people won`t drink it. The only alcohol that is denatured is ethanol, which is drinking alcohol - or the stuff that makes you drunk. The reason its denatured is because it`s used OTC for medical use and not regulated and taxed.

    They can add any toxic substance to it to denature it, and you have "denatured alcohol". Methanol (wood alcohol) isn`t easily available OTC - just isopropyl and ethanol. However, they could be adding a small amount of that as the denaturing agent.

    But honestly, I think they mostly add a bit of isopropyl in most OTC ethanol.

    yes. You are correct.

    But, if you want CH3OH you can get it at any Home Depot or hardware store in the paint section.

 

 

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