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Water is the universal solvent, and it’s harmless except for what may be in the dirt and soils being washed or rinsed away. You’ll need stronger stuff for greasy or oily stains that seem to recur frequently in cleaning tasks, and that may bring you into contact with some nasty substances.
Characterized by their vapors, many strong solvents are highly flammable; they’re frequently toxic to touch or to breathe; and most will seriously pollute the environment if disposed of improperly.
Before beginning any task involving solvents, it’s highly important to read and understand label directions. Federal law requires any substance that is flammable, corrosive or otherwise harmful to humans, household pets and/or to the environment to be labeled as such. Take any warnings seriously. If you have any questions about safe and effective product use, many manufacturers include a toll-free telephone number and/or a Web site address on the label where you may learn further information about a product.
When in doubt, wear latex or rubber protective gloves, long sleeves, eye protection and even an N95 respirator or mask to cut down on hazards from splashing strong solvents on skin or in eyes, or breathing large amounts of solvent vapor. Plenty of ventilation is called for while using many of these products.
Label directions provide a useful guide for proper solvent disposal. Avoid dumping these liquids down the drain. It’s best to use all of what you purchase. If this isn’t possible, find out from your city or county government whether and when a household hazardous waste collection may be conducted. Many communities sponsor regular collections, but they may be as infrequent as once per year. Until the day arrives, store all solvents tightly sealed in original containers in a well-ventilated area and far away from flame, sparks, heat sources, curious children and pets.
Special precautions are in order for homes served by septic systems, common in many rural areas of the country where construction of sanitary sewers is not cost effective. Well-diluted cleaning solutions of soap, detergent, bleach or ammonia generally won’t harm the microbes within a septic system that help it to work well. However, these helpful bacteria can be killed by the volatile organic compounds found in many solvents and by the strong chemicals in drain cleaners, making your septic system less effective. Proper storage and disposal are a lot less expensive than the hundreds of dollars it can cost to hire a septic contractor to repair your system.
