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Getting rid of white spirit?

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Jeremy Nicoll - news posts

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Sep 13, 2008, 9:45:38 AM9/13/08
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How is one meant to get rid of white spirit after cleaning brushes in it?

I took some jars of dirty white spirit to the local (Edinburgh Sighthill)
council tip yesterday, amongst other stuff, and was told to take it away
again, because they had nowwhere to put it. I was too polite to make my own
suggestion, though I was sorely tempted.

--
Jeremy C B Nicoll - my opinions are my own.

Kevin

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Sep 13, 2008, 9:51:41 AM9/13/08
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Jeremy Nicoll - news posts wrote:
> How is one meant to get rid of white spirit after cleaning brushes in it?
>
> I took some jars of dirty white spirit to the local (Edinburgh Sighthill)
> council tip yesterday, amongst other stuff, and was told to take it away
> again, because they had nowwhere to put it. I was too polite to make my own
> suggestion, though I was sorely tempted.
>
apparently if you leave it to settle then decant off the now clear
liquid you can use it again

--
Kevin R
Reply address works

Mike Clarke

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Sep 13, 2008, 10:10:42 AM9/13/08
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Kevin wrote:

> apparently if you leave it to settle then decant off the now clear
> liquid you can use it again

Yes, BTDTWTTS. You can use it over and over again for brush cleaning. I
usually end up with a few bits of gungey goo on the brush because I don't
decant it carefully enough but a final wash in warm water and washing up
liquid sorts that out.

--
Mike Clarke

Alan

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Sep 13, 2008, 10:15:01 AM9/13/08
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In message <gemini.k74zk...@wingsandbeaks.org.uk.invalid>,
Jeremy Nicoll - news posts <jn.nntp....@wingsandbeaks.org.uk> wrote

>How is one meant to get rid of white spirit after cleaning brushes in it?
>
>I took some jars of dirty white spirit to the local (Edinburgh Sighthill)
>council tip yesterday, amongst other stuff, and was told to take it away
>again, because they had nowwhere to put it. I was too polite to make my own
>suggestion, though I was sorely tempted.
>


Tip it down the nearest drain.


--
Alan
news2006 {at} amac {dot} f2s {dot} com

Bruce

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Sep 13, 2008, 11:10:40 AM9/13/08
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Alan <junk_...@amac.f2s.com> wrote:


I have a better idea.

Why don't you pour it over your clothes (with you in them) and set
fire to it? The world would benefit from having one fewer grossly
irresponsible person.

Alan

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Sep 13, 2008, 11:35:34 AM9/13/08
to
In message <kslnc4lij3lqpnbl3...@4ax.com>, Bruce
<n...@nospam.net> wrote

It's a lot less damaging than all the detergent you probably tip down
the drain on a daily basis.

Where do you think 90% of the white spirit purchased for the DIY market
goes at the end of its life? Have a few more tips that refuse to take
it and that figure could soon be 100%.

dennis@home

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Sep 13, 2008, 11:39:34 AM9/13/08
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"Alan" <junk_...@amac.f2s.com> wrote in message
news:Cp5TW2GG...@amac.f2s.com...

In the rivers and canals, unlike detergents that end up in treatment plants.
Drains frequently just discharge into rivers, sewers don't.

But why would someone irresponsible know the difference?

EricP

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Sep 13, 2008, 12:34:56 PM9/13/08
to
On Sat, 13 Sep 2008 16:10:40 +0100, Bruce <n...@nospam.net> wrote:

>I have a better idea.

That would make a nice change Bruce.

>
>Why don't you pour it over your clothes (with you in them) and set
>fire to it? The world would benefit from having one fewer grossly
>irresponsible person.

And you can demonstrate the technique to him, so he knows how to do it
correctly. It would be a first in here as a practical contribution
from you.

Rod

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Sep 13, 2008, 12:44:56 PM9/13/08
to
Jeremy Nicoll - news posts wrote:
> How is one meant to get rid of white spirit after cleaning brushes in it?
>
> I took some jars of dirty white spirit to the local (Edinburgh Sighthill)
> council tip yesterday, amongst other stuff, and was told to take it away
> again, because they had nowwhere to put it. I was too polite to make my own
> suggestion, though I was sorely tempted.
>
It seems to me that the shops that sell it should take it back. But I
have a nasty feeling that if they had to do so, no-one would sell it any
more.

--
Rod

Hypothyroidism is a seriously debilitating condition with an insidious
onset.
Although common it frequently goes undiagnosed.
<www.thyromind.info> <www.thyroiduk.org> <www.altsupportthyroid.org>

The Natural Philosopher

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Sep 13, 2008, 1:34:41 PM9/13/08
to
Jeremy Nicoll - news posts wrote:
> How is one meant to get rid of white spirit after cleaning brushes in it?
>
> I took some jars of dirty white spirit to the local (Edinburgh Sighthill)
> council tip yesterday, amongst other stuff, and was told to take it away
> again, because they had nowwhere to put it. I was too polite to make my own
> suggestion, though I was sorely tempted.
>
Mix it with detergent and pour it down the drain

pour it on a bonfire and set light to it.

Mix it with washing up liquid and make 'swarfega'

The Natural Philosopher

unread,
Sep 13, 2008, 1:36:53 PM9/13/08
to
better still pour it all over you.

In time it evaporates from everywhere, so you would need to strike a
match quickly.

Dumoping a few tanker lorry full down a drain is nad news, A few cc is
meaningless: theres probably more in the after booze up piss of the
average pub, or similar organic chemicals.


Malcolm

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Sep 13, 2008, 1:41:20 PM9/13/08
to
From advice given in this group several years ago I recycle. White
spirit from washing brushes goes into a container. After a few days,
when the solids have settled, the liquid is decanted into another
container. This is used to wash brushes and the dirty spirit goes back
into the first container. The original post suggested that the final
clean as doune with new white spirit. This will keep the system 'topped up'

Malcolm

Jeff Layman

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Sep 13, 2008, 1:50:03 PM9/13/08
to
Jeremy Nicoll - news posts wrote:
> How is one meant to get rid of white spirit after cleaning brushes in
> it?
>
> I took some jars of dirty white spirit to the local (Edinburgh
> Sighthill) council tip yesterday, amongst other stuff, and was told
> to take it away again, because they had nowwhere to put it. I was
> too polite to make my own suggestion, though I was sorely tempted.

I previous years where the sun has actually appeared in summer, I poured it
onto some rags on a metal or china plate, and let the sun's heat evaporate
it over a day or two.

Not sure that would have worked this year or last. Mind you, it might have
floated away somewhere else...

--

Jeff


stuart noble

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Sep 13, 2008, 2:43:41 PM9/13/08
to

Indeed you can, but it's as well to keep a fresh batch for cleaning
hands etc.
The solids can just be binned eventually.

stuart noble

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Sep 13, 2008, 2:45:36 PM9/13/08
to

It takes an awful lot of washing up liquid to disperse white spirit,
probably an equal amount

Spamlet

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Sep 13, 2008, 3:24:04 PM9/13/08
to

"stuart noble" <stuart...@ntlworld.com> wrote in message
news:rWTyk.11797$Fa6....@newsfe25.ams2...

Hard to believe there are those here recommending illegal dumping of waste
solvent. Hope the EA is monitoring!

Treating the road drains as waste disposal chutes is, along with plumbing-in
waste outlets to the wrong system, the main source of pollution incidents to
our rivers. Seems there are no anglers in this group.

Also, emulsified solvents do much more damage than plain solvent: the
emulsion introduces the poison much more effectively into the water
environment. In fact, some of the worst pollution incidents the old NRA
used to report were when things like milk - an emulsion - got into the
water.

By the same token, water soluble solvents are even more dangerous. When in
some states they began to add water soluble ketones to fuel as a 'green'
measure, the pollution around filling stations was much more severe and the
migration of the solvents into the water supply was much more difficult to
prevent and nigh impossible to clean up.

Also. waste solvent is an increasingly valuable commodity which should be
offered up for recycling. If your tip is currently unable to deal with
waste solvent, then ring your council's environmental health department and
ask them where you should take the solvent for recycling.

That said. There is rarely enough 'waste' for the home user, after the
various reusing suggestions here have been followed, and if you do have an
emulsion left over to get rid of, it will make a handy weedkiller (though
indeed, not an approved one!).

S


Spamlet

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Sep 13, 2008, 3:28:57 PM9/13/08
to

"Spamlet" <spa...@invalid.invalid> wrote in message
news:LrUyk.17859$r92....@newsfe24.ams2...

Oh, and by the way, as I recall, most 'white spirit' is already recycled
from waste solvents: it has an extremely variable composition, which used to
make formulating stuff from it very tricky, with every barrel having to be
individually tested, and a wary eye kept out for the water that was likely
to be at the bottom too!

S


mick

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Sep 13, 2008, 4:31:22 PM9/13/08
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On Sat, 13 Sep 2008 16:39:34 +0100, dennis@home wrote:

<snip>


>
> In the rivers and canals, unlike detergents that end up in treatment
> plants. Drains frequently just discharge into rivers, sewers don't.
>


The various chemicals that do eventually make their way to "sewage" (more
accurately "waste water") treatment plants cause all sorts of problems.
In some ways its a good job that a few noxious chemicals bypass them as
they can damage the bacteria necessary for the plant to work effectively!

--
Mick (Working in a M$-free zone!)
Web: http://www.nascom.info http://mixpix.batcave.net
Filtering everything posted from googlegroups to kill spam.

James Salisbury

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Sep 13, 2008, 4:36:10 PM9/13/08
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Please don't use white spirit for cleaning hands, try Solpol
http://www.martsafety.co.uk/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=601

The Natural Philosopher

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Sep 13, 2008, 6:01:50 PM9/13/08
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Never said it didn't...

The Natural Philosopher

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Sep 13, 2008, 6:03:48 PM9/13/08
to
Spamlet wrote:
> "stuart noble" <stuart...@ntlworld.com> wrote in message
> news:rWTyk.11797$Fa6....@newsfe25.ams2...
>> The Natural Philosopher wrote:
>>> Jeremy Nicoll - news posts wrote:
>>>> How is one meant to get rid of white spirit after cleaning brushes in
>>>> it?
>>>>
>>>> I took some jars of dirty white spirit to the local (Edinburgh
>>>> Sighthill)
>>>> council tip yesterday, amongst other stuff, and was told to take it away
>>>> again, because they had nowwhere to put it. I was too polite to make my
>>>> own
>>>> suggestion, though I was sorely tempted.
>>>>
>>> Mix it with detergent and pour it down the drain
>>>
>>> pour it on a bonfire and set light to it.
>>>
>>> Mix it with washing up liquid and make 'swarfega'
>> It takes an awful lot of washing up liquid to disperse white spirit,
>> probably an equal amount
>
> Hard to believe there are those here recommending illegal dumping of waste
> solvent. Hope the EA is monitoring!
..

>
> That said. There is rarely enough 'waste' for the home user, after the
> various reusing suggestions here have been followed, and if you do have an
> emulsion left over to get rid of, it will make a handy weedkiller (though
> indeed, not an approved one!).

Far worse of course than into the sewage system, where it will get
treated and filtered and allowed to evaporate: straight into the ground
water..heck why not?


>
> S
>
>

Dave A

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Sep 14, 2008, 10:52:26 AM9/14/08
to
dennis@home wrote:
>
>
> In the rivers and canals, unlike detergents that end up in treatment
> plants.
> Drains frequently just discharge into rivers, sewers don't.
>
> But why would someone irresponsible know the difference?
>
>
Isn't a sewer simply a major drain - ie several drains flow into a
sewer? If I remember correctly, for domestic systems at least, a drain
is defined as serving only one property.

Dave

Kevin

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Sep 14, 2008, 11:27:36 AM9/14/08
to
I think he means drain as in road drain, not sure were this water goes
but its marked as SW (storm water) on the main holes rather than FW
(foul water)

Alang

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Sep 14, 2008, 12:58:15 PM9/14/08
to
On Sun, 14 Sep 2008 16:27:36 +0100, Kevin <donte...@ntlworld.com>
wrote:


Foul water drainage goes to the treatment works. Storm wter drainage
normally feeds into local watercourses that feed into rivers. We had
someone locally connect a WC to the storm water drain. Polluted the
local beck and had the park closed off for a few months until it
cleared.

Andy Champ

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Sep 14, 2008, 4:44:49 PM9/14/08
to

This too is not a good idea. Evaporated hydrocarbons are a major cause
of photochemical smog... which is why paints these days are marked "low
VOC".

Andy

Derek Geldard

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Sep 14, 2008, 6:22:38 PM9/14/08
to
On Sun, 14 Sep 2008 21:44:49 +0100, Andy Champ <no....@nospam.com>
wrote:

>Jeff Layman wrote:
>> Jeremy Nicoll - news posts wrote:
>>
>> I previous years where the sun has actually appeared in summer, I poured it
>> onto some rags on a metal or china plate, and let the sun's heat evaporate
>> it over a day or two.
>>
>> Not sure that would have worked this year or last. Mind you, it might have
>> floated away somewhere else...
>>
>
>This too is not a good idea. Evaporated hydrocarbons are a major cause
>of photochemical smog...

Which as we all know would have ben a big issue this year (not really)
had the sun been able to get through the clouds and the rain.

>which is why paints these days are marked "low
>VOC".

And you have to repaint 3 times as often.

Derek

Buddy

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Oct 2, 2009, 6:58:56 AM10/2/09
to
www.spiritreclaimer.com - you can wash your brushes in it and then it
recycles the white spirit so you can use it again!

url:http://myreader.co.uk/msg/1391139601.aspx

NT

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Oct 2, 2009, 8:42:01 AM10/2/09
to
On Oct 2, 11:58 am, "Buddy"<bu...@buddy.com> wrote:
> www.snipped- you can wash your brushes in it and then it

> recycles the white spirit so you can use it again!
>
> snipped

we really are that stupid


NT

Chris J Dixon

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Oct 2, 2009, 10:36:51 AM10/2/09
to
NT wrote:

Quite!

I find two old jam jars work fine. By the time I'm on my next
painting job, all the grot in jar 1 has settled, and I can decant
clean fluid into jar 2. By the subsequent job, the sediment has
dried enough to be scraped out of jar 1, and it is then ready for
clean fluid again.

Chris
--
Chris J Dixon Nottingham UK
ch...@cdixon.me.uk

Have dancing shoes, will ceilidh.

The Medway Handyman

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Oct 2, 2009, 6:06:30 PM10/2/09
to
Chris J Dixon wrote:
> NT wrote:
>
>> On Oct 2, 11:58 am, "Buddy"<bu...@buddy.com> wrote:
>>> www.snipped- you can wash your brushes in it and then it
>>> recycles the white spirit so you can use it again!
>>>
>>> snipped
>>
>> we really are that stupid
>>
> Quite!
>
> I find two old jam jars work fine. By the time I'm on my next
> painting job, all the grot in jar 1 has settled, and I can decant
> clean fluid into jar 2. By the subsequent job, the sediment has
> dried enough to be scraped out of jar 1, and it is then ready for
> clean fluid again.

This is the heap of crap that the Dragons laughed out of the den.


--
Dave - The Medway Handyman
www.medwayhandyman.co.uk


gazz

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Oct 2, 2009, 7:15:39 PM10/2/09
to
"Chris J Dixon" <ch...@cdixon.me.uk> wrote in message
news:tr3cc5petbsq817mh...@4ax.com...

> NT wrote:
>
>>On Oct 2, 11:58 am, "Buddy"<bu...@buddy.com> wrote:
>>> www.snipped- you can wash your brushes in it and then it
>>> recycles the white spirit so you can use it again!
>>>
>>> snipped
>>
>>we really are that stupid
>>
> Quite!
>
> I find two old jam jars work fine. By the time I'm on my next
> painting job, all the grot in jar 1 has settled, and I can decant
> clean fluid into jar 2. By the subsequent job, the sediment has
> dried enough to be scraped out of jar 1, and it is then ready for
> clean fluid again.

never works like that for me, by the time i need to use a paint brush again,
it's stuck solid to the bottom of the gunk in the jar, the liquid has all
evaporated off, and i end up buying a new brush... and doing just the same
thing when i'm finished painting.

Stuart Noble

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Oct 3, 2009, 4:52:20 AM10/3/09
to

You only need to rinse the brush in the white spirit, then work some
washing up liquid into the bristles and rinse under hot tap.

Mark

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Oct 5, 2009, 3:53:40 AM10/5/09
to
On Fri, 02 Oct 2009 14:36:51 GMT, Chris J Dixon <ch...@cdixon.me.uk>
wrote:

>NT wrote:
>
>>On Oct 2, 11:58�am, "Buddy"<bu...@buddy.com> wrote:
>>> www.snipped- you can wash your brushes in it and then it
>>> recycles the white spirit so you can use it again!
>>>
>>> snipped
>>
>>we really are that stupid
>>
>Quite!
>
>I find two old jam jars work fine. By the time I'm on my next
>painting job, all the grot in jar 1 has settled, and I can decant
>clean fluid into jar 2. By the subsequent job, the sediment has
>dried enough to be scraped out of jar 1, and it is then ready for
>clean fluid again.

And if it hasn't settled out you are working too fast ;-)

Mark

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Oct 5, 2009, 3:54:31 AM10/5/09
to

... and put a lid on the jar to prevent evaporation.

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