Save money - don't use Isopropyl Alcohol or Denatured Alcohol to clean your prints! (2024)

mediaman

3D Printing Vet

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07-18-2019, 10:14 AM

I highly recommend using Mean Green (or Simple Green if you can't find Mean Green) to clean the resin off your prints.

It is a better cleaner and much cheaper! Mean Green is$5/gallon at Lowes, compared to $15/quart for Denatured Alcohol and $25/gallon for 99% Isopropyl Alcohol on Amazon.

For proof check out Uncle Jessy's video comparing Mean Green, Simple Green, Mr. Clean, and Isopropyl Alcohol.

Testing Resin 3D Printing Cleaning Alternatives
https://youtu.be/tnGasVwkgMk

- Mediaman

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bennydesign

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07-24-2019, 12:36 PM

(07-18-2019, 10:14 AM)mediaman Wrote: I highly recommend using Mean Green (or Simple Green if you can't find Mean Green) to clean the resin off your prints.
It is a better cleaner and much cheaper! Mean Green is$5/gallon at Lowes, compared to $15/quart for Denatured Alcohol and $25/gallon for 99% Isopropyl Alcohol on Amazon.
For proof check out Uncle Jessy's video comparing Mean Green, Simple Green, Mr. Clean, and Isopropyl Alcohol.
Testing Resin 3D Printing Cleaning Alternatives
https://youtu.be/tnGasVwkgMk
- Mediaman

"Mean Green" is not available in Europe as far as I know .. not even in the UK. BUT .. 5 liters ofIPA are €18, which is still ok. If anybody knows the "European Mean Green" .. please post it.

Regards

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GBee

HWPSlotCars

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02-24-2020, 10:50 AM

How do you dispose of the Mean Green solution when it becomes dirty. With the IPA, I could place the container out in the sun until the whole thing turned into a solid rubbery block of "cheese". Then let it dry out and dispose of the fully cured solids.

How do you clean it out of your Ultra Sonic cleaner? And do you have to change it out frequently?

Thanks for your input, as I really want to stop using the IPA... the fumes are irritating, even with a proper respirator and cartridges, the fumes linger in my work space. (Yes, I need to add better ventilation)!

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earthball

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10-06-2020, 07:55 AM (This post was last modified: 10-06-2020, 07:59 AM by earthball.)

(07-25-2019, 09:23 AM)GBee Wrote: Does IPA in the US have some added chemicals to discourage people from drinking it? I keep seeing people from the US complain about the smell of IPA, yet to me it's very low odour and just smells like a clear alcohol such as Vodka?
At least here in the UK I'll stick with IPA for now - it's not very expensive for a 5L bottle, it doesn't smell and it has other uses such as cleaning electronics.

Not all alcohols are the same.IPA is Isopropyl Alcohol, often called "rubbing alcohol" since it can be used to disinfect skin and clean surfaces. IPA is toxic and doesn't need any additives to make it hazardous. A small amount isn't a big deal, but if you are working with large volumes or for long periods of time (such as washing prints), IPA can cause neurological problems.You should always work with goodventilation when using it.

IPA isnot the same as the Ethyl Alcohol (aka "grain alcohol")you can drink. You may also find "denatured" alcohol (aka "methylated spirits"), which is ethyl alcohol with additives (like methyl alcohol)that make it un-drinkable to avoid some of the regulations on drinking alcohol.

Has anyone tested the difference between the standard Simple Green and the "Lemon Scented" Simple Green? I found it at the store the other day, and since the regula green wasn't available in the large bottle, I got the lemon scented. Unfortunately, I haven't had great success cleaning prints. It does was off most of the extra resin, but I seem to always have a sticky film of resin on my prints and they don't seem to get as clean as when I use IPA.

Just curious if anyone has found standard Simple Green works differently than the Lemon scented version.

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cliffyk

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10-06-2020, 09:24 AM

(10-06-2020, 07:55 AM)earthball Wrote: Has anyone tested the difference between the standard Simple Green and the "Lemon Scented" Simple Green? I found it at the store the other day, and since the regula green wasn't available in the large bottle, I got the lemon scented. Unfortunately, I haven't had great success cleaning prints. It does was off most of the extra resin, but I seem to always have a sticky film of resin on my prints and they don't seem to get as clean as when I use IPA.
Just curious if anyone has found standard Simple Green works differently than the Lemon scented version.

I have had worse than miserable success attempting to use Mean Green to clean regular (intended to be cleaned with IPA) resin prints, all it does is gum up the uncured resin and make a terrible gummy mess of everything that comes into contact with that gooey reside...

Been using Klean-Strip denatured alcohol stove fuel with good results--not cheap @ US$22 per gallon, but it works...

-cliff knight-

paladinmicro.com

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earthball

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10-17-2020, 12:29 PM

Used some Everclear on some test prints and the results were far better. I think I am going to keep the Simple Green to use on my tools and use alcohol for my prints from now forward.

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Mr Sprue

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#10

10-20-2020, 02:48 PM

Has anyone tried a heavy duty degreaser yet? Maybe ji*zer engine degreaser might work also.

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