First, Acetone, like almost every highly volatile solvent, does it's job by dissolving (and thereby absorbing) whatever the unwanted material is on the coin; waxes and oil-based soils, some deposits from out-gassing of plastics, etc. That absorbed material remains in the solvent, and as the solvent evaporates the concentration increases: the solvent vapor rarely carries the dissolved material away. So, if you're oh-so-gently flushing your coins and allowing an air-dry to remove the remaining solvent from the coin, you're still leaving some of the offending material behind, even on a very-first-use of freshly opened, previously unused solvent. If you're returning your flushing solution to the container for future use, over time the concentration of dissolved stuff can only increase...this kind of 'cleaning' may not be damaging in the sense of physical alteration of the substrate, and may very well leave a much improved appearance to the coin...but make no mistake: it remains soiled to some measurable extent, especially as the concentration of contaminent increases. Second, any solvent, when coming in contact with your skin, is absorbed into the body...even water. If it's just your fingertips, well, not much gets in if quickly done...but it does enter. If, as one poster admitted doing, you're washing your hands, wrists and forearms with these other liquids, you do permanent damage to your liver, where these solvents have been detected within seconds of contact with the skin. Think how the flavor of oysters fills the mouth almost instantly after rubbing DiMethyl Sulfoxide (DMSO) on an aching joint. You're not immune to the effects of this kind of corporeal neglect...it all adds up, down the road, and in some industries many of these liquids require near-HazMat protection for workers. Read the MSDS sheets for the common ones...that'll give you a whiff of grapeshot that just might add years to your life. Thanks for listening! wlw
I’d never considered acetone as a liver concern. I pull all coins out with my fingers. What do you recommend instead?
Acetone is produced during normal human metabolism. It's toxic in high doses, but you're extremely unlikely to get anywhere near those levels if you're rinsing coins in a ventilated area. DMSO is a very special substance when it comes to absorption through the skin. Acetone is quite different. Acetone's main risk is that it rapidly dissolves away oils from your skin, which can leave your skin dry and prone to injury or infection -- but only if overused. Everyone should respect the dangers of any chemical they user. But please don't spread undue fear and panic about acetone; it's one of the safest organic solvents most of us can buy, and any substitute is likely to be more hazardous.
Great post. I spent eight years cleaning missile parts with every chemical known to man back in the 1970’s for the Army never once thinking about protecting myself. Of course I was young and indestructible back then. I bet I am a walking chemistry lab now!
Yeah, the armed services don't have a great historical reputation for occupational health and safety protections.
Ive used chemicals all my life, like Randy said, not too long ago, we did not worry, Ive sprayed brake and carb cleaners in my eyes, rebuilt them, used them for nearly everything automotive related, so I pulled up some active ingredients. CRC's non-chlorinated brakleen (what we get in CA) COMPONENT % by Wt. Acetone 20 - 30 Toluene 35 - 45 Methanol 25 - 35 Carbon dioxide 5 � 10 basically laquer thinner CRC brakleen Tetrachloroethylene (PERC) > 95% Carbon Dioxide < 5% CRC clean-r-carb low voc (calif. stuff) Acetone 45 - 55 Toluene 85 - 35 Methanol 10 - 20 Carbon dioxide 5 � 10 CRC clean-r-carb Acetone 20 - 30 Toluene 35 - 45 Methanol 25 - 35 Carbon dioxide 5 � 10 Same ingredients as non-chlorinated brakleen just different concentrations. You get what you pay for... So keep in mind how much you paid for this advice.
Just think about how much the girls absorb every time they clean off fingernail polish. And the kind they use has a mixture of other chemicals in it to make it smell good.
A guy I know has liver problems that the doctors deduced were brought on by the absorption of carburetor cleaner through the skin. He works on small engines and uses carb cleaner a lot.
If you soak your skin in acetone for years, yes, it can lead to liver damage. Same with toluene and xylene, which are also likely components of the cleaner. And some of the gunk it's washing out of the engine is probably even worse.
Glad you mentioned this, there are at least four different "kinds" of fingernail polish remover on the market...acetone and ethyl acetate (which is less "drying") and then these with added ingredients such as lanolin and odorants. Dissolving is not absorbing, hence the admonitions made repeatedly to use fresh solvent...don't reuse solvent...and to give a final rinse with fresh solvent.
Thanks, all. I spent a year in my late teens (1959) in an aircraft factory tube-bending department. The tubes were bent on machinery using a mandrel-lubricant with the viscosity of molasses, and bundles of the tubes were de-greased by suspension in the heated, saturated vapor of TriChlorEthylene (or TriChloroEthane). I ran that degreaser and breathed the vapor all day, not to mention getting the occasional splash of the liquid on face, clothing, etc. I'll be 79 in a few months; I count myself very fortunate to still be alive after that and other foolish intimacies with a variety of exotic solvents. A day at a time, each one a gift! wlw
Moral of the story is, everything can kill you. I use a lot of chemicals in my shop. Pretty much all are known to cause cancer in the state of California. So, I stay out of California. In all seriousness though, how many everyday chemicals like perfumes, colognes, hair sprays and so on, are used and inhaled? Sure there are probably warning lables but no one bats an eye at these things. Just because it smells good doesnt mean it is healthy either. Ive known a lot of woman who have had lung cancer who never smoked or worked around any harmful chemicals a day in their lives. Maybe years of perfume usage was the cause, id sure like to see a study on that. Sorry, there are times soap and water just doesnt cut it to remove things from my skin that im exposed to. Brake fluid, brake cleaner, gasoline, diesel, used oil, the list goes on. Like I said, everything can kill you nowadays, but I refuse to wear a hazmat suit to work on cars.
