Best Mineral Spirits Substitute (2024)

Several years ago, we used mineral spirits for just about anything. Couch stain? Furniture marks? Removing paint from paintbrushes? Mineral spirits are our rightful response.

However, as more people become more health conscious about the tools we use daily, we realize some of them are harmful to our health and the environment.

As a result, we tried to limit them, with local governments backing us up by banning numerous solvents nationwide.

But this still constitutes an important question:What's the best mineral spirits substitute?Have we found one that will work just as efficiently as the bona fide cleaner? Well, we found several.

Understanding Mineral Spirits

A substitute should be better than the real thing, or at least in certain aspects. For us to determine the best mineral spirits alternative, we must understand what it is in the first place.

Hopefully, the section below will provide you with definitive answers.

What's a Mineral Spirit?

If you've ever heard or seen terminologies such as white spirit or paint thinner, that's basically what mineral spirits are.

It's 100% pure petroleum distillate containing all sorts of chemical compounds, but the particular chemicals vary from one brand to another.

Nonetheless, they commonly come from aromatic hydrocarbons, alkanes, and cycloalkanes extracted from crude oil. But I'm not here to bore you with chemical compounds.

What you need to know is that mineral spirits and gasoline share several similarities, and constant exposure to either of them will eventually lead to various health complications.

Additionally, because they come from crude oil, a non-renewable resource, we will eventually run out of them, aside from being bad for the environment.

Where Do We Use Mineral Spirits?

Mineral spirits and paint thinner are verydifferent substances, but we commonly use the former to remove leftover paint in paint brushes. It's also a popular varnish to coat furniture and give it a smoother finish.

Because of its powerful and concentrated chemical content, mineral spirits also efficiently remove adhesive residues, dirt, stains, and grease on different materials.

Why Are Mineral Spirits Bad?

Mineral spirits contain volatile organic compounds (VOCs) that can harm your health. When inhaled, these harmful fumes can cause breathing complications and skin irritation.

In worse cases, the toxic chemicals found in mineral spirits are known to cause cancer and brain damage, especially with constant exposure.

This furthers the fact that we need to use safer (or at least less harmful) solvents instead of mineral spirits, and I've got just the perfect list for that.

Best Mineral Spirits Substitutes

Here are the best mineral spirits substitutes whether you want clean paint brushes, spotless sofas, shiny furniture, or superb car engine performance.

1. Denatured Alcohol

Denatured alcohol comes from fermented sugar, meaning it's ethanol. If you've ever used a camping stove, this is basically its fuel.

It's an efficient cleaning solvent, so you can use it to clean windows or sterilize various pieces of equipment. It may also work as a disinfectant.

However, denatured alcohol contains methanol, so you may want to be extra careful with it. Methanol is a highly toxic compound that negatively affects the nervous system.

Furthermore, denatured alcoholremovesoil, which means it's the nemesis of oil-based paints. In other words, you can't use it for thinning oil-based paints.

It's more efficient in removing and cleaning oil-based paints off of surfaces.

Best forremoving paint and cleaning surfaces.

2. Acetone

Acetone and mineral spirits have very much in common, even though we regularly use the former as a nail polish remover.

They are both effective in dissolving substances despite their different origins and chemical composition.

One advantage acetone has over mineral spirits is it doesn't damage plastics. Also, it doesn't exude toxic fumes, so you can use it even without wearing a mask.

However, it's one of this list's many flammable liquid solvents, so you must have proper storage. Moreover, you must be careful when using it on wood surfaces.

Acetone will bleach the surface or strip wood of its finish. It's even worse if your wood furniture doesn't have a finish, as acetone will cause it to warp (appearing melted).

Best forpaint thinning, degreasing, or cleaning glass, metal, and plastic surfaces.

3. Charcoal Lighter Fluid

If you love grilling meat and hosting barbecue parties, you must have charcoal lighter fluid in your storage. It's one of the most popular mineral spirits solutions because of its application in the kitchen (accelerates charcoal ignition).

Yes, I said "mineral spiritssolution" because they're essentially the same thing (albeit some charcoal lighter fluid brands useethanol and methanolinstead of mineral spirits).

Because of this, you can use and apply charcoal lighter fluid the same way you would with mineral spirits. However, this is a highly-flammable liquid, so beverycareful with it.

Best forthinning paints, degreasing, and any other mineral spirits application.

Pro-Tip:If you're still using charcoal lighter fluid for your barbecue parties, it's time to switch to a safer alternative. Check out theseLiquid Smoke Substitutes.

4. Turpentine

Turpentine is also an excellent substitute for paint thinners, furniture polishers, and stain removers. However, unlike mineral spirits, it doesn't come from petroleum-based compounds.

Nonetheless, turpentine is just as toxic as mineral spirits, if not more harmful. Even though it comes from pine wood, it contains distilled oil and rosin that produce harsh chemicals and nasty fumes.

Ergo, you must wear a mask or even a respirator when using it.

You may also use turpentine to degrease bike or car parts and clean paint sprayers. Using it to thin oil-based paints allows the paint to dry more quickly upon application.

Additionally, turpentine mixed with beeswax makes for excellent furniture polish, prolonging its lifespan and improving its overall appearance.

If you're using it as a stain remover substitute, you must first mix it with salt to make it more sticky, giving it a semifluid consistency.

This makes it significantly easier to apply on surfaces using a paintbrush.

Best forthinning paints, polishing furniture, and removing stains.

5. Isopropyl Alcohol

Isopropyl alcohol is one of the safest (or least harmful) substitutes for mineral spirits on this list. You might be more familiar with its other name; rubbing alcohol.

We often use isopropyl alcohol to disinfect our hands and the stuff we will use, but it's also effective in cleaning paintbrushes and surfaces.

The maindifference between isopropyl and denatured alcohollies in their chemical composition. Isopropyl alcohol does not include harmful additives like methanol.

The only thing added to isopropyl alcohol after production is water. Simply put, isopropyl alcohol is the "safe version" of denatured alcohol.

That's also why we can use isopropyl alcohol to treat wounds and apply it to our skin. If we use denatured alcohol for this purpose, we will end up with skin irritation, tissue damage, and even worsen the wound.

However, since isopropyl alcohol contains water, it's generally weaker than denatured alcohol. As a result, it takes a while for them to thin oil-based paint or dissolve them from paint brushes.

You'd have to soak the paint brushes in a cup filled with isopropyl alcohol for several minutes before rinsing them with water.

Best forcleaning paint brushes, thinning paints, degreasing, removing adhesive residue, and general cleaning.

6. Oil, Soap, and Water

All of the substitutes abovecanharm you to a certain extent. If you want a safer alternative, just combine oil, soap, and water.

Linseed and safflower are the best oil for general cleaning, dissolving paint on paint brushes, and thinning oil-based paints.

Pro-Tip:Keep your excess safflower oil. You can use it for various recipes asa substitute for peanut oil.

Let the paint brushes soak in a cup or barrel of oil for several minutes. Rinse the brushes under running water to remove oil residue before giving them a final wash with soap.

What I love most about this alternative is its accessibility. If you have safflower or linseed oil, you can make the safest substitute for mineral spirits at home.

It's also gentler for the bristles on your paintbrush because of the absence of strong chemicals. The oil will even help preserve its quality.

Best forpaint removal, wood furniture polishing, sticky residue removal, and lubrication.

7. Citrus Solvent

Who would've thought there's an organic, biodegradable substitute for mineral spirits? Have you ever heard of the life hack that says you can use lemon to remove fabric, plastic, and ceramic stains?

It turns out there's a truth to that. Citrus solvents help with various cleaning tasks, function as natural degreasers, and can even thin oil-based paints.

You can find citrus solvent solutions in supermarkets or order them online. On the other hand, you can also make one at home using citrus peels, white vinegar, and water.

Pro-Tip:Check out some of theseOrange Zest Substitutesif you plan to make citrus solvent at home.

Transfer the solution to a sprayer or apply it on a cloth for cleaning surfaces. Grab a container and pour a generous amount of citrus solvent if you want to use it as a paint thinner substitute.

Let your paint brushes soak in the solution for several minutes before rinsing them with water.

Best fordegreasing, paint thinning, and general cleaning.

8. Vegetable Oil

You may also use vegetable oil as a substitute for mineral spirits, but be aware that it will not be as strong as the latter.

Nonetheless, vegetable oil is biodegradable, so it's not harmful to our environment. Additionally, it doesn't include toxic chemicals, keeping you safe while working.

You can follow the same application process as a citrus solvent when using vegetable oil for cleaning.

Avoid using this for thinning oil-based paints since vegetable oil will keep your paint wet for several days after application. In fact, it may never dry.

Best forgeneral cleaning.

9. Soy-Based Solvent

As the name suggests, soy-based solvents come from soybeans. It's an excellent substitute for mineral spirits because it comes from renewable sources.

It's also biodegradable, so it's not harmful to the environment. You may use soy-based solvents to thin oil-based paints.

Soy-based solvents also have practical applications in general cleaning. Simply apply the solvent to a cloth and wipe it on any surface you want to clean.

If you're using it to remove leftover paint on your paintbrush, let it soak in the solvent for several minutes and rinse it with running water.

Best forgeneral cleaning, paintbrush cleaning, and paint thinning.

How to Choose a Mineral Spirits Alternative

Not every substitute on this list will be identical to mineral spirits in thinning, degreasing, polishing, or cleaning. It almost always depends on the circ*mstances you're dealing with.

So, when choosing a mineral spirits alternative, here are three things you need to consider.

The Purpose

Mineral spirits are versatile, allowing you to use them for various purposes. When choosing an alternative, you need to consider the purpose of mineral spirits in your current task.

Are you thinning paint? Choose from alcohol, turpentine, acetone, charcoal lighter fluid, or any of the two solvents.

Are you cleaning your house? Avoid flammable, dangerous, and extra-strong substitutes like turpentine and charcoal lighter fluid.

Understanding what each substitute does will help you understand whether it will be effective or detrimental to your current task.

The Safety

When it comes to safety, you need to consider two things; your health and the health of your environment. While some of these substitutes are necessary evils because of their strength, proper use anddisposalshould be paramount.

Follow safety precautions when dealing with mineral spirits substitutes that contain volatile organic compounds and other strong chemicals.

You may also check in with your local government or consult the product's manufacturer regarding proper waste disposal.

The Efficiency

Lastly, consider the efficiency of each substitute and whether or not it's sufficient for the task at hand. Some substitutes are stronger than others.

It's best to reserve these choices for tougher stains or more challenging tasks. Try to be as health-conscious and eco-friendly as possible when choosing an alternative.

Mineral Spirits Substitute FAQs

Finding the Best Substitute for Mineral Spirits

Before I bid you goodbye, I'd like to remind you that mineral spirits are hazardous substances, and most of their substitutes are just as dangerous.

You must handle these substances with the highest safety standards and dispose of them in the same manner.

This reduces the risk they pose to your health and environment. Choose a substitute you're confident you can handle properly (aside from its efficiency for the task at hand).

To learn more about the best substitutes for common household solutions and ingredients, visitAlso The Crumbs, Please.

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