Press Cleaning Solvents

I just found out that California Wash has been discontinued! We were offered Varn V-120 which sounds great for the rubber but also more toxic in general.

What are folk’s favorite solvents…. Or maybe, is it time to go Non-Toxic???

Would love suggestions and ideas!

Thanks,

Liz

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I use odorless mineral spirits, sold at most hardware stores. It’s a low odor, petroleum-based product commonly used as a paint thinner and solvent. I’ve used it for years, and it has not adversely affected my health or press rollers. Store it in enclosed containers and use a “flammable materials” waste can for press wash up rags. Like most things, it’s not healthy in concentrations, so exercise caution.

I have been using odorless mineral spirits for years washing up my C&P and galley press. Make sure it’s “odorless.” Some brands also offer “low odor” and it is not the same. I can’t vouch for its safety, but I always preferred it, even to California Wash, which would make me tingle if I got it on my skin.

When I worked in an offset shop, I used V-120 to clean the blanket, and California Wash for roller cleanup. I still always preferred mineral spirits on my relief presses, and neither crossed over into my letterpress shop.

Recently I decided to give vegetable oil a try, and was surprised at how well it worked cleaning oil-based ink off of rollers. I still give them a quick wipe with mineral spirits afterward, but it is probably not necessary. I regret being a vegetable oil doubter for all these years. It might require an extra rag or two, but my shop is a lot less smelly now.

We use Genie Safe & Easy at my school, it’s great- water based and non toxic. It is pricey but if you have poor ventilation it’s a good choice. Doesn’t leave the sticky residue you can sometimes get with veg oil. I sometimes do a deep clean with odorless mineral spirits too.

https://www.theprintersshopper.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPat....

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I also use Genie Safe & Easy and am very happy with results. Another source for it is here—

https://www.pressmanspride.com/search.aspx?find=genie+safe+and+easy

Odorless mineral spirits is mineral spirits that has had another chemical added to hide the odor - its no safer than regular mineral spirits. I use naphtha bought at Lowes or Home Depot - its the basic ingredient in Ca, wash. BUT, i cut on a ceiling fan, open the door, and a window when i use it. The odor is a warning that you are breathing a danger chemical. Odorless is giving you a sense of safety that is not there. None of the petroleum base cleaners are safe in a closed shop, but all are very effective at cleaning rubber base ink.

LD

I’ve been using a citrus based cleaner from Dick Blick:

https://www.dickblick.com/products/eco-house-115-xtra-mild-citrus-cleane...

The Genie Safe & Easy looks like a less expensive replacement. What’s in it? Is it petroleum based?

Genie Safe & Easy is vegetable oil based; I called them once to ask and that was the reply. The manufacturer doesn’t disclose the complete ingredients (my understanding is they are not required to do so because the product is not considered hazardous).

LetterpressDad wrote on 2 Apr 23 (18:59)

Odorless mineral spirits is mineral spirits that has had another chemical added to hide the odor - its no safer than regular mineral spirits… .

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That is not true at all. Odorless mineral spirits is odorless because it is a more highly refined product - refined to eliminate the odor. Not merely “masked” with more chemical.

Michael
Nickel Plate Press

One thing I’ve been trying to figure out concerning the now-discontinued California Wash— it was considered water-miscible, but the main ingredient was Naptha which is not water-miscible. Can someone here explain?

Here’s the link to the safety warning for odorless mineral spirits.

https://rsc.aux.eng.ufl.edu/_files/msds/2/mineral%20spirits.pdf

Its still not safe for use in an unventilated shop, which was the point of my post.

Fritz commented back in November that there is a replacement for California Wash:

http://www.briarpress.org/63829#comment-82364

LetterpressDay-
“Its still not safe for use in an unventilated shop, which was the point of my post.”

You shouldn’t be using any non-water-based solvents in an un-ventilated shop. (I’m a mineral spirits person.)

BTW, alcohol and citrus-based solvents are not compatible with most poly plates.

I said that in my original post:

“None of the petroleum base cleaners are safe in a closed shop”

I also said:

” Odorless is giving you a sense of safety that is not there”

I have been using baby oil as the primary solvent. It works well on presses with motors that will allow the baby oil to be distributed throughout the roller chain. This will dissolve most of the ink. Then I wipe this off with a dry cloth, and do a final cleanup with low-odor mineral spirits. Be sure to get all the oil off, as it never dries. By the way, there are vast differences between brands of mineral spirits, both in terms of “low odor” and cleaning efficiency.

Wow thanks for all of these suggestion everyone! I should add that we use Crisco/ veggie shortening for the initial cleaning which works really well and finish off cleaning with the cali wash. Maybe we will just go with OMS or similar - I just found this Klean Strip Green Odorless Mineral Spirits I want to try out -
https://www.homedepot.com/p/Klean-Strip-Green-1-gal-Green-Odorless-Mineral-Spirits-GKGO75CA/204831509

Here in Europe, I use Huber Bio Wash, which works great and is made for printing purpose.
I do not know if available outside…

https://www.huber-graphics.com/en/products/washes/conventional-inkwashes...