Anybody know where to get Denatured Alcohol?

[GQBalla]

Anybody know where to get Denatured Alcohol?

i went to shoppers and the pharmacist has no idea what it was so she pulled out a huge encyclopedia.

[BerserkerCatSplat]

What do you plan on using it for? The only time I remember seeing it mentioned was as a solution for cleaning digital camera sensors.

[GTS Jeff]

LOL they sell it at shoppers in like 3 different grades. It's not at the pharmacy racks...it's around the antiseptics.

[GTS Jeff]

PS. I've used it to clean CPUs when they need to be remounted.

[Canadian 2.5RS]

Originally posted by GTS Jeff
PS. I've used it to clean CPUs when they need to be remounted.

That was the first thing that came to my mind as well.

CPU Cleaning tip of the day: Use coffee filters as wipes. They are cheap, plentiful, and lint-free. :thumbsup:

[soupey]

Originally posted by GTS Jeff
PS. I've used it to clean CPUs when they need to be remounted.


cant u use regular rubbing alcohol for that too?

[TimG]

denatured alcohol is ethanol with acetone or methanol mixed in with it.

Rubbing alcohol is isopropyl alcohol.

ethanol usually has less crap disolved in it than isopropyl because (i think) it is a weaker solvent than isopropyl alcohol so it won't leave as much of a residue on whatever you're cleaning.

If you need larger quantities, you might be able to find it in at Canadian Tire in the paint section. they usually have a bunch of different solvents like acetone, methyl hydrate, turpentine, etc.

[GQBalla]

thanks guys but yet the denatured alcohol is to clean cpus - thats so weird i went to shoppers and the pharmacist lady pointed out rubbing alcohol or something because it has ethanol in it?

is that the right one?

[TimG]

rubbing alcohol is isopropyl alcohol (aka isopropanol) denatured alcohol is primarily ethanol (the kind you drink) which is why they mix it with methanol (wood alcohol.. the kind that makes you go blind) or acetone (nail polish remover) so you can't drink it.

most people don't know the difference between rubbing and denatured alcohol. they are not the same.

[Speedy]

Wow...I never there were so many types of alcohol

[GQBalla]

so i went to a different shoppers yesterday again no denatured alcohol - i tried to look for ethanol - none...

anybody know for sure where i can get it and what another name it may be labelled?

[TimG]

you won't find ethanol anywhere except the liquor store (not pure, tho) or a dedicated chemical supply house like Aldrich.

Have you tried Canadian Tire?

[GQBalla]

not yet ^^ will probably give that a try sometime this week

[TimG]

also, try some paint stores. they might have denatured alcohol too. make sure you emphasize denatured, not rubbing.

[HHURICANE1]

Isopropyl alcohol is what you want, not rubbing alcohol. Rubbing alcohol contains some oil, isopropyl does not. You can use use isopropyl for cleaning tape heads or anything that you do not want to leave a residue behind. I use it on my cpu's all the time. A long time electronics repair person put me onto this years ago.

[GQBalla]

but isopropyl alcohol isn't denatured alcohol i have heard denatured alcohol works better?

[bart]

Originally posted by GQBalla
Anybody know where to get Denatured Alcohol?


the purple stuff? why, you making duck... and i mean from the very first step? eheh

[TimG]

isopropyl will work fine for cleaning CPUs

make sure you get 'electronics grade' or the 99.99% stuff from shoppers. don't get the 97% stuff id you're going to be using it on electronics.