Xylene/xylol And Paint

abrace

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Experts,

I have some paint that states cleanup should be done with Xylol/Xylene. These are new quarts, not some old paint, so I assume this data is correct for this formulation and not some old recommendation.

With my mineral spirits I put the old stuff in sealed containers, let it settle out and reuse.

Does anyone know if the same thing can be done with Xylene?

Anyone worked with Xylene before? I have the proper 3m respirator for it, but past that I just don't know. I usually only work with Mineral Spirits and Acetone when it comes to oil paint.

Any advice would be appreciated.

---Aaron
 
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I've used it, years ago. Some sort of deck enamel, IIRC.

I've always been pretty stupid about things like that, so I probably didn't take any special precautions at all.
 
Anything with "lol" or "lene" in the name is bad stuff!

Suggest at a minimum, Nitrile gloves, and proper respirator with the correct cartridge.
 
I have used with rustoleum hammered finish paints. It is nasty stuff, I tried nitrile gloves but they did not stand up to this stuff. I ended up getting heavier chemical resistant gloves. Wear a respirator or work in a well ventilated area. I sprayed outside and kept up wind of the overspray.
 
Xylene / xylol is very similar to mineral spirits and in most cases can be substituted for min. Spirits. But I would not sub mineral spirits for xylene or - lol, they are much faster drying than min. sp. I have used most of the solvents commonly seen in the past, having worked a few years as an industrial painter. Reuse should be the same. Give it a try.
 
I have used with rustoleum hammered finish paints. It is nasty stuff, I tried nitrile gloves but they did not stand up to this stuff. I ended up getting heavier chemical resistant gloves. Wear a respirator or work in a well ventilated area. I sprayed outside and kept up wind of the overspray.

Thats exactly what kind of Rustoleum I have...one of the hammered finish. I am brushing it on though.

Xylene / xylol is very similar to mineral spirits and in most cases can be substituted for min. Spirits. But I would not sub mineral spirits for xylene or - lol, they are much faster drying than min. sp. I have used most of the solvents commonly seen in the past, having worked a few years as an industrial painter. Reuse should be the same. Give it a try.

Thanks, I will try it out!
 
If you're tempted to roll the paint, Xylene / Xylol on foam rollers is quite amusing - they grow and get the consistency of a par-boiled slug...
Buy the roller sleeves in bulk and dispose of ''em as disposable :\

Dave H. (the other one)
 
Anything with "lol" or "lene" in the name is bad stuff!

Suggest at a minimum, Nitrile gloves, and proper respirator with the correct cartridge.

The suffixes are actually -ol and -ene, and are not by definition things to get excited about.
The -ol suffix means that the molecule contains a methyl group (-OH).
The -ene suffix just denotes the main group the molecule is named for.
Ethylene glycol is poisonous but can be handled safely with no PPE.
Polyethylene is used for everything from Saran Wrap to cuttings boards.
Methanol is deadly to just about all living things, but it is the first thing we put on a cut when we clean it (it is in rubbing alcohol).

Xylene and Xylol are both actually the same thing. It is a benzene ring with 2 methyl groups. It is bad stuff to breath, but safe enough to handle with basic PPE and ventilation. I would work with xylene all day before I would work with something like hexanes. Getting some xylene on bare skin is not going to hurt you. It will absorb slowly into the skin, but you would have to take a bath in it to have it poison your blood.
Either way, you should wear gloves, and use outside.

EDIT: I meant ethanol, not methanol :oops:
 
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