Methylene chloride

[carey mitchell]

I'm stripping a butler's tray table that I built about 30 years ago, it got scuffed up in our recent move and I just wanted to start over on it. Today's strippers without methylene chloride just don't work like the old stuff did. Tried 3 different products and finally found one that works - marginally - if I don't mind waiting 45 minutes and multiple applications. I added lacquer thinner and it improved the performance somewhat.

Then I got on line and looked for methylene chloride, which was available just a few months ago. No go; not a single supplier has it, even those where I have purchased other chemicals. Waiting for a friend who is R&D VP for a specialty chemical company to get back to me.

Our EPA, in their infinite wisdom, have once again protected us from ourselves by banning a product taht actually works. I read their statements about how many people were exposed stripping furniture and how many theortical lives would be saved - and I call BS. Having dealt with EPA, I can say that the agency is comprised mostly of activists who do not allow science to get in the way of their agenda.

Just blowing off steam, must do that more frequently as our government invades our daily lives more every day.

CM

[Matt Melville]

Carey,

Lookup flo-strip in St. Louis Missouri. I run a furniture refinishing shop and they still sell several different strippers that contain methylene chloride. They also sell a paste version which might be better for the diy person as several of their strippers are designed to be used with a flow over system.

[John TenEyck]

You can still buy KleanStrip Premium at your local ACE Hardware, or at least I can in NYS. KS Premium contains MC and has worked very well for me for many years.

https://www.acehardware.com/departme...movers/1438738

John

[Steven Cooper2]

It has been banned for consumer use effective 180 days after the announcement of May 28, or Nov 24.

So you might be able to find it, but probably not...

It has killed quite a few people, some acutely, but likely many more chronically.

[Edward Dyas]

I'm stripping a butler's tray table that I built about 30 years ago, it got scuffed up in our recent move and I just wanted to start over on it. Today's strippers without methylene chloride just don't work like the old stuff did. Tried 3 different products and finally found one that works - marginally - if I don't mind waiting 45 minutes and multiple applications. I added lacquer thinner and it improved the performance somewhat.

Then I got on line and looked for methylene chloride, which was available just a few months ago. No go; not a single supplier has it, even those where I have purchased other chemicals. Waiting for a friend who is R&D VP for a specialty chemical company to get back to me.

Our EPA, in their infinite wisdom, have once again protected us from ourselves by banning a product taht actually works. I read their statements about how many people were exposed stripping furniture and how many theortical lives would be saved - and I call BS. Having dealt with EPA, I can say that the agency is comprised mostly of activists who do not allow science to get in the way of their agenda.

Just blowing off steam, must do that more frequently as our government invades our daily lives more every day.

CM

Not only does the new remover not work it's about triple the price of the old stuff they used to sell.

It's not so much that methylene chloride is bad for you there are too many idiots that used the stripper in confined places and killed themselves. These people are so stupid they would find a way to kill themselves anyway. I believe if methylene chloride used as directed would hurt you I wouldn't be here. I had a refinishing shop for ten years were I was buying remover in 55 gallon drums. I even made my own remover once where I bought a drum of methylene chloride.

Fun fact, one of the ways to make decaffeinated coffee is to soak coffee beans in methylene chloride to remove the caffeine. I've never seen any law suits about that.