# Don't use rubbing alcohol to clean track?



## Newtown Joe (Jan 30, 2013)

I'm not sure if this is common knowledge on the forum, but I read that rubbing alcohol contains oil to moisturize the skin when applied for personal use. Now, I think that would be bad for track cleaning as it would put an oil residue on the track.
The product of choice would be denatured alcohol which is oil free. Am I the only one who didn't know this?


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## broox (Apr 13, 2012)

Turps will leave an oily residue too. Metho would do the trick tho.

I don't really know what rubbing alcohol is.

edit.
Just googled some things.
Turps = Mineral Turpentine / White Spirit / Paint thinner
Metho = Methylated Spirits / Denatured alcohol
Rubbing alcohol = A bunch of stuff, mainly Isopropyl Alcohol or Ethyl Alcohol


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## nemofreed (Mar 20, 2015)

It seems the water content is rubbing alcohol would not be doing your tracks any favors either.

Maybe it's a non issue with modern equipment. :dunno:


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## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

Isopropyl alcohol has no oils, only water and alcohol in the percentage on the label. Rubbing alcohol is a totally different product with oils and fragrance added.


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## traction fan (Oct 5, 2014)

*Alcohol/water on the track.*

Newtownjoe & Nemofeed

I think a lot of people, on or off this forum, don't know the difference between rubbing and isopropyl alcohol. I know I didn't. Thanks to Gunrunnerjohn for clearing that up in his post. 
I think the name "rubbing alcohol" is commonly (mis)used for both types.
As for your concerns about coatings left on the track; there are two issues.
First, insulation.
If what we have put on there interferes with electrical conductivity from rail to wheel; we don't want it left there. Water is commonly used to glue ballast to the trackbed. After ballasting, we have to clean the water/glue residue off the rails to get good electrical contact back.
Second; traction;
If whatever we have put down is greasy; loco wheels may slip on it causing a loss of pulling power. Many oily substances are also pretty good insulators, and hence would cause both problems. 
I'm leaving out just plain crazy stuff like using lacquer thinner which would dissolve plastic ties. 
Several times I have recommended LPS-1 as a track cleaner. It is grease-less and electrically conductive. Therefore it will not cause either of the two problems above. 
In fact, it actually helps electrical conduction and promotes smooth running.

Hope this covers your concerns;

Traction Fan


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## teledoc (Oct 22, 2014)

Isopropyl alcohol in either 90% or 99% is what you want, and denatured alcohol actually does have petroleum added in very minute amounts, but it will leave a residue, which you don't want. I tried to repaint train parts after stripping the paint, sanding and then a quick rub down with Denatured Alcohol (latex gloves used) and the paint did not adhere in certain spots, commonly called "fish-eye" spots. Since using 91% Isopropyl alcohol, absolutely no problem. Check a few of my later posts on a 2020 loco, & a1688E, and see the results in the stages they are in at present.


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## MtRR75 (Nov 27, 2013)

gunrunnerjohn said:


> Isopropyl alcohol has no oils, only water and alcohol in the percentage on the label. Rubbing alcohol is a totally different product with oils and fragrance added.


I just checked the bottle of alcohol that I have been using to clean track. It says "Rubbing Alcohol -- 70% Isopropyl alcohol". I don't think that there are any regulations governing what "rubbing alcohol" is made of -- so ignore the "rubbing alcohol" and read the fine print.


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## nemofreed (Mar 20, 2015)

What brand is it MtRR75?


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## longle (Mar 7, 2015)

91% Iso alcohol, 32oz, $2.58 at Walmart. That's what I use, works fine. I use it to clean radio parts as well.

Larry


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## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

I use the 99% stuff, the only ingredients are 99% alcohol and 1% water. With all that alcohol, the water disappears very quickly.


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## CTValleyRR (Jul 26, 2014)

teledoc said:


> Isopropyl alcohol in either 90% or 99% is what you want, and denatured alcohol actually does have petroleum added in very minute amounts, but it will leave a residue, which you don't want. I tried to repaint train parts after stripping the paint, sanding and then a quick rub down with Denatured Alcohol (latex gloves used) and the paint did not adhere in certain spots, commonly called "fish-eye" spots. Since using 91% Isopropyl alcohol, absolutely no problem. Check a few of my later posts on a 2020 loco, & a1688E, and see the results in the stages they are in at present.


I have used denatured alcohol -- exclusively -- for cleaning track for 12 years and more without a hint of a problem. Moisten rag, rub with finger. Done. FWIW, the petroleum is the "denaturing" agent -- otherwise it's pure ethyl alcohol (the kind we drink to have a good time). You could use the 180 proof grain alcohol from the liquor store, but it's way more expensive.

As a paint stripper, denatured alcohol works very well (perhaps because of the petroleum distillates), but I would wash whatever I stripped in warm soapy water (using dishwashing liquid) before painting.


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## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

I checked the MSDS for both denatured alcohol and Isopropyl alcohol, my choice was easy based on the toxicity of each product. Since Isopropyl alcohol is widely used in hospitals and doctor's offices for cleaning wounds and skin, I figure it's a lot less toxic than denatured alcohol. In addition, it smells a whole lot better.


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## Big Ed (Jun 16, 2009)

gunrunnerjohn said:


> I checked the MSDS for both denatured alcohol and Isopropyl alcohol, my choice was easy based on the toxicity of each product. Since Isopropyl alcohol is widely used in hospitals and doctor's offices for cleaning wounds and skin, I figure it's a lot less toxic than denatured alcohol. In addition, it smells a whole lot better.


The denatured alcohol can be denatured with many things to make it poison to drink.
All denatured alcohol is not the same, ethanol most of the time will be denatured with Isopropanol or methanol. But it can be denatured with many other chemicals, ethyl acetate, butyl acetate, MIBK (Methyl Isobutyl ketone), MEK (methyl ethyl ketone) some of the common ones used. It all depends on what it is being made for. Most of those listed chemicals will melt plastics. IPA won't. 
So I would imagine the kind used for cleaning track (as mentioned) would be denatured with either Isopropanol or the methanol. It should say on the can.
Methanol is listed as poison, so the IPA would be a better choice to use.

The term "rubbing alcohol" has become a general non-specific term for either isopropyl alcohol or ethyl alcohol (ethanol) rubbing-alcohol products. 

IPA 99%/ the remaining one percent is water, that is what I use as I get it at work. The 1% water is not going to hurt anything.
IPA 91%/ the rest is 9 % water.
There is 70% and depending on who is bottling it, a fragrance oil might be added. The other % should be water.

The above 3 should only be sold as food grade in the drug store or in the supermarkets.

You can go to a home improvement store and buy the IPA but it is not food grade.
It comes out of the same storage tank but is not regulated with the food grade laws. You have stricter requirements for food grade pertaining to the transportation vessel, sampling and handling. 
Tax $$$ are involved too.

If you can find it 99% is the best to use, 91% is good too, I would stay away from the 70%.

Like mentioned 190 or 200 proof grain is the way to go.:thumbsup:
I get that free at work too, as after they hold the samples for a while it just gets dumped into a waste drum anyway.
What a waste.


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## JNXT 7707 (May 5, 2013)

gunrunnerjohn said:


> I use the 99% stuff, the only ingredients are 99% alcohol and 1% water. With all that alcohol, the water disappears very quickly.


OK please clarify something if possible - alcohol absorbs moisture, even from the air. So the problem is keeping it sealed away from moisture, the water would not 'disappear' from it.


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## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

Isopropyl Alcohol evaporates very quickly in open air, and the water goes with it. The water doesn't disappear "from" it, it disappears "with" it.


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## Dr Bob (Dec 31, 2013)

A little clarification on denatured alcohol. Denatured alcohol is ethanol made unfit for consumption. The denaturant most often used is methanol which, for cleaning track purposes, work the same as ethanol. Commercial denatured alcohol you buy at the local hardware store is approximately 95% alcohol and 5% water. Isopropyl alcohol, which is sold in the healthcare/pharmacy section, has been covered here. For cleaning track, both alcohols are similar in their solubility of track residues.

Dr Bob


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## cv_acr (Oct 28, 2011)

Exactly. 

"Denatured" isn't a type of alcohol like ethyl (ethanol), methyl (methanol) or isopropyl (isopropanol) alcohol. Rubbing alcohol is a generic term and could be either ethanol or isopropanol. (I've seen either as the primary ingredient on the details of "rubbing alcohol compound" bottles at the drug store.)

To denature means to deliberately add certain impurities, in this case as Dr Bob (and big_ed further above) says, to make it undrinkable.


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## JNXT 7707 (May 5, 2013)

gunrunnerjohn said:


> Isopropyl Alcohol evaporates very quickly in open air, and the water goes with it. The water doesn't disappear "from" it, it disappears "with" it.


ahhh.....OK, thanks for the explanation.


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## Big Ed (Jun 16, 2009)

cv_acr said:


> Exactly.
> 
> "Denatured" isn't a type of alcohol like ethyl (ethanol), methyl (methanol) or isopropyl (isopropanol) alcohol. Rubbing alcohol is a generic term and could be either ethanol or isopropanol. (I've seen either as the primary ingredient on the details of "rubbing alcohol compound" bottles at the drug store.)
> 
> To denature means to deliberately add certain impurities, in this case as Dr Bob (and big_ed further above) says, to make it undrinkable.


Yes, it depends on who is making it, some use ethanol others use Isopropanol.

As far as buying it in a home improvement store, I would still purchase it with the Isopropanol instead of the Methanol.
Methanol is labeled poison, IPA is not.
Years ago Methanol was not labeled as a poison, then they figured out that it was.

You do not want to drink either Methanol or Isopropanol, it won't take much of either to kill you. :smokin:

We denature our pure ethanol with IPA for the 200 proof and for the 190 proof we use Methanol.
I don't know why they do it, I guess it is what most of our customers want.:dunno:

I will have to ask.


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