

Thinning paint or cleaning brushes should cost you more than a few ounces. However, the cost shouldn’t affect you much. The less demanding process of manufacturing paint thinners results in an unrefined solvent at a much lesser cost. The processing for obtaining mineral spirits is quite demanding compared with paint thinners. Mineral spirits are distilled to remove most of the toxicity. On the other hand, paint thinners cost you only $8 per gallon. And odor-free mineral spirits will cost you $15. For example, a gallon of mineral spirits costs $10. Paint thinner is about half as expensive as mineral spirits. That way, you can avoid the potential adverse consequences of toxic fumes. On the other hand, mineral spirits have a very low odor compared to paint thinner.įor a safer operation, it is advisable to store these solvents at room temperature in well-ventilated areas. And as such, anyone working with them should avoid inhaling too much of it. Paint thinners are pretty toxic, and their fumes are harmful. The lower the VOC, the less obnoxious they are. Mineral spirits and paint thinners emit an almost kerosene-like odor. This is because the latter evaporates faster. Paints thinned with mineral spirits have a smooth finish than with paint thinners.

This is due to its slow evaporator factor. Compared to paint thinners, mineral spirits works better when it comes to thinning oil-based paints.

#Cleaning with mineral spirits professional
Several professional painters and artists prefer mineral spirits to clean their painting utensil. This is due to its refinement process, which removes the toxic VOCs and sulfur. You can use mineral spirits for cleaning surfaces as well as solvent use. EffectivenessĪnother main difference is the effectiveness of the two substances. They are also not safe around pets and children due to their toxicity. But, in the case of paint thinners, they remain most of their toxic compounds like benzene and toluene. Mineral spirits are refined to a great degree than paint thinner. Toxicity is one of the important differences between the two solvents. Here are some of the key differences between the two similar chemicals. They also retain the oiliness of petroleum, which gives them a lubricating quality. However, mineral spirits are heavily refined, contain fewer VOCs, and have pungent odors. You can even use them for the same purposes. Mineral spirits may be less toxic and also easier to deal with.īoth the chemicals are the result of the distillation of petroleum. Mineral spirits are different from most of the other paint thinners in terms of toxicity. The word paint thinner describes the solvents as above, and not only mineral spirits. Examples of paint thinners consist of acetone, turpentine, toluène, and mineral spirits. Paint thinner is a common phrase for solvents used when thinning paint.
