Stoddard solvent availability / questions

[Titanium]

Hi all – I've been reading up on Stoddard solvent, and it seems like a great option for cleaning some machines and even paper (I want to try dry cleaning some dirty paper money). But I'm having trouble locking down exactly what it is, and whether it's always labeled as "Stoddard solvent". I'm seeing claims that lighter fluid is Stoddard solvent, or that charcoal lighter fluid is, and that it's the same as "mineral spirits" or Type 1 mineral spirits.

Are all those really Stoddard solvent? Should I be looking specifically for something labeled as Stoddard? Where are the best places to look?

I've also read that there is an odorless version, and a high flashpoint version (140 F). Do these tweaks affect its solvent performance at all?

Thanks.

p.s. I liked this old academic paper on using Stoddard to gently dry clean clean museum fabrics. It was used in commercial dry cleaning for decades, before perc, and alongside perc as a gentler option. It's amazing that such a powerful solvent doesn't harm fabrics at all.

 

[doitmyself]

Great question and very difficult to pin down. There is a lot of ambiguity in terminology, similar to car finish products......wax, sealant, polish, etc. are often misused per their true definition. This happens in wood finishes also: varnish, polyurethane, oil finish, wipe-on finish inter-mingle among product names.

I am not a chemist. This article shows a table explaining different SDS CAS numbers for Naptha, Stoddard Solvent, and 3 types of mineral spirits.
https://www.naturalpigments.com/mineral-spirits-stoddard-solvent.html Apparently, there are 3 different "flash grades" in each of type 1, 2, and 3 below (total of 9 types)

Mineral Spirit Types
CAS No.	EINECS No.	Name	Notes
8030-30-6	232-443-2	Naphtha
8052-41-3	232-489-3	Stoddard solvent
64475-85-0	265-185-4	Mineral spirit type 1
64741-92-0	265-095-5	Mineral spirit type 2	Solvent-refined heavy naphtha (petroleum)
64742-48-9	265-150-3	Mineral spirit type 3	Hydrotreated heavy naphtha (petroleum)
64742-88-7	265-191-7	Mineral spirit type 0	Medium aliphatic solvent naphtha (petroleum)

To me, Stoddard solvent is a type of mineral spirit, but maybe different than the other paint thinner varieties (different CAS #). But on store shelves and literature, the terminology are often used interchangeably as I stated above. Very confusing.

Here's an example of "real" Stoddard solvent, CAS 8052-41-3: https://www.laballey.com/products/stoddard-solvent-lab?currency=USD&variant=41710808170651 ....Click on "description" and it states "Stoddard Solvent Is Not EXACTLY The Same As Mineral Spirits But It Is A Type Of Mineral Spirits"

Here's more examples of Stoddard solvent vs different mineral spirit types:

Bulk Mineral Spirits Supplier

National supplier of bulk mineral spirits - high flash odorless, high flash safety, quick dry, and regular - in bulk, totes, drums, and pails.

www.solventsandpetroleum.com

Again, I think the confusion exists because the terms mineral spirits and Stoddard solvent are miss-mashed together in product names, descriptions, etc.. Hopefully a chemist will come along to give more clarification.

 

[Cujet]

As a connoisseur of all forms of petroleum scents, I can say with authority that the "classic" Stoddard Solvent of my youth does not smell the same as the more recent (prob 20 years ago) versions. I have not seen anything labeled as Stoddard Solvent since then.

It performed much like classic mineral spirits. If I were to guess, I'd say it's a blend of mineral spirits and naptha, with some other things thrown in.

 

[nthach]

AFAIK, Stoddard solvent is simply paint thinner. Charcoal lighter fluid flashes off too quick, while naphtha has slower dry time and toulene flashes off quick.

Here’s the stuff I use: https://kleanstrip.com/solvents-and-thinners/odorless-mineral-spirits-california/

Per the SDS, it’s pure petroleum distillates. When I googled the CAS# I found this:

https://www.exxonmobilchemical.com/dfsmedia/f743208d804841f6ab89a60202cc3f56/2653-source/options/download

Exxon before XOM used to sell Varsol, which is now owned by Recochem in Canada.