# is pant thinner a good method of bearing cleaning? **URL:** \ **Category:** Yo-Yo Mods and Maintenance\ **Created:** [December 12, 2012, 6:50pm UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/is-pant-thinner-a-good-method-of-bearing-cleaning/46501 "2012-12-12T18:50:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 17\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![anonyo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/8baadc/32.png) [@anonyo](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/anonyo)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2012, 6:50pm UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/is-pant-thinner-a-good-method-of-bearing-cleaning/46501/1 "2012-12-12T18:50:00Z")
just wanted to ask if using paint thinner is a good idea. Thanks, Pajama Man ---
**Author:** ![PlasticWhip](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forums.yoyoexpert.com/plasticwhip/32/896_2.png) [@PlasticWhip](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/PlasticWhip)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2012, 7:53pm UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/is-pant-thinner-a-good-method-of-bearing-cleaning/46501/2 "2012-12-12T19:53:05Z")
> [@Pajama Man 8398](#): > > just wanted to ask if using paint thinner is a good idea. > > Thanks, Pajama Man Mineral Spirit’s is a specific paint thinner, and yes, any paint thinner will work. ---
**Author:** ![Bcmaddog](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forums.yoyoexpert.com/bcmaddog/32/1170_2.png) [@Bcmaddog](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/Bcmaddog)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2012, 2:11am UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/is-pant-thinner-a-good-method-of-bearing-cleaning/46501/3 "2012-12-13T02:11:51Z")
One of the best, mineral spirits Is the best paint thinner I’ve tried. :🙂 ---
**Author:** ![PlasticWhip](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forums.yoyoexpert.com/plasticwhip/32/896_2.png) [@PlasticWhip](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/PlasticWhip)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2012, 3:22am UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/is-pant-thinner-a-good-method-of-bearing-cleaning/46501/4 "2012-12-13T03:22:07Z")
> [@Bcmaddog](#): > > One of the best, mineral spirits Is the best paint thinner I’ve tried. :🙂 Never said it wasn’t… ---
**Author:** ![Bcmaddog](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forums.yoyoexpert.com/bcmaddog/32/1170_2.png) [@Bcmaddog](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/Bcmaddog)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2012, 3:38am UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/is-pant-thinner-a-good-method-of-bearing-cleaning/46501/5 "2012-12-13T03:38:42Z")
> [@WildCat23](#): > > > [@Bcmaddog](#): > > > > One of the best, mineral spirits Is the best paint thinner I’ve tried. :🙂 > > Never said it wasn’t… I didn’t say you did :🙂 ---
**Author:** ![jhb8426](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forums.yoyoexpert.com/jhb8426/32/631_2.png) [@jhb8426](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/jhb8426)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2012, 3:41am UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/is-pant-thinner-a-good-method-of-bearing-cleaning/46501/6 "2012-12-13T03:41:32Z")
> [@Bcmaddog](#): > > One of the best, mineral spirits Is the best paint thinner I’ve tried. :🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Bcmaddog](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forums.yoyoexpert.com/bcmaddog/32/1170_2.png) [@Bcmaddog](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/Bcmaddog)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2012, 3:48pm UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/is-pant-thinner-a-good-method-of-bearing-cleaning/46501/7 "2012-12-15T15:48:35Z")
😕 ---
**Author:** ![A\_Soviet\_Locust](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forums.yoyoexpert.com/a_soviet_locust/32/113687_2.png) [@A\_Soviet\_Locust](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/A_Soviet_Locust)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2012, 3:49pm UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/is-pant-thinner-a-good-method-of-bearing-cleaning/46501/8 "2012-12-15T15:49:56Z")
Acetone is better. ---
**Author:** ![kyroyo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/5daacb/32.png) [@kyroyo](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/kyroyo)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2012, 4:43pm UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/is-pant-thinner-a-good-method-of-bearing-cleaning/46501/9 "2012-12-15T16:43:08Z")
> [@A\_Soviet\_Locust](#): > > Acetone is better. They are pretty much the same thing ---
**Author:** ![jhb8426](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forums.yoyoexpert.com/jhb8426/32/631_2.png) [@jhb8426](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/jhb8426)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2012, 5:18pm UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/is-pant-thinner-a-good-method-of-bearing-cleaning/46501/10 "2012-12-15T17:18:12Z")
Not really. Paint thinner is generally considered to be mineral spirits or lacquer thinner. ---
**Author:** ![A\_Soviet\_Locust](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forums.yoyoexpert.com/a_soviet_locust/32/113687_2.png) [@A\_Soviet\_Locust](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/A_Soviet_Locust)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2012, 5:24pm UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/is-pant-thinner-a-good-method-of-bearing-cleaning/46501/11 "2012-12-15T17:24:03Z")
> [@kyroyo](#): > > > [@A\_Soviet\_Locust](#): > > > > Acetone is better. > > They are pretty much the same thing Not really. Acetone is a simple ketone, whereas Mineral Spirits is a mix of hydrocarbons. And in bearing cleaning, Acetone is far superior. ---
**Author:** ![daniel0731ex](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/45deac/32.png) [@daniel0731ex](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/daniel0731ex)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2012, 6:24pm UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/is-pant-thinner-a-good-method-of-bearing-cleaning/46501/12 "2012-12-15T18:24:03Z")
> [@A\_Soviet\_Locust](#): > > > [@kyroyo](#): > > > > > [@A\_Soviet\_Locust](#): > > > > > > Acetone is better. > > > > They are pretty much the same thing > > Not really. Acetone is a simple ketone, whereas Mineral Spirits is a mix of hydrocarbons. And in bearing cleaning, Acetone is far superior. To translate for some: acetone is one of those unfamiliar magical chemicals, whereas mineral spirits are basically gasoline. ---
**Author:** ![A\_Soviet\_Locust](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forums.yoyoexpert.com/a_soviet_locust/32/113687_2.png) [@A\_Soviet\_Locust](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/A_Soviet_Locust)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2012, 8:36pm UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/is-pant-thinner-a-good-method-of-bearing-cleaning/46501/13 "2012-12-15T20:36:58Z")
> [@daniel0731ex](#): > > > [@A\_Soviet\_Locust](#): > > > > > [@kyroyo](#): > > > > > > > [@A\_Soviet\_Locust](#): > > > > > > > > Acetone is better. > > > > > > They are pretty much the same thing > > > > Not really. Acetone is a simple ketone, whereas Mineral Spirits is a mix of hydrocarbons. And in bearing cleaning, Acetone is far superior. > > To translate for some: acetone is one of those unfamiliar magical chemicals, whereas mineral spirits are basically gasoline. Yep. And Acetone doesn’t leave a residue like Mineral spirits does, because Mineral spirits evaporates quickly. So a rinse in Acetone leaves you with a pretty much perfectly clean bearing. I prefer it way over any other chemical. ---
**Author:** ![jhb8426](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forums.yoyoexpert.com/jhb8426/32/631_2.png) [@jhb8426](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/jhb8426)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2012, 9:14pm UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/is-pant-thinner-a-good-method-of-bearing-cleaning/46501/14 "2012-12-15T21:14:20Z")
> [@A\_Soviet\_Locust](#): > > Yep. And Acetone doesn’t leave a residue like Mineral spirits does, because Mineral spirits evaporates quickly. So a rinse in Acetone leaves you with a pretty much perfectly clean bearing. I prefer it way over any other chemical. Ummm, I really think you have that totally backwards. Acetone evaporates far quicker than mineral spirits. that’s why it feels colder on your hands (should you happen to get any on you). And because of that it will leave a residue at times… :wink: ---
**Author:** ![A\_Soviet\_Locust](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forums.yoyoexpert.com/a_soviet_locust/32/113687_2.png) [@A\_Soviet\_Locust](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/A_Soviet_Locust)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2012, 11:47pm UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/is-pant-thinner-a-good-method-of-bearing-cleaning/46501/15 "2012-12-15T23:47:44Z")
> [@jhb8426](#): > > > [@A\_Soviet\_Locust](#): > > > > Yep. And Acetone doesn’t leave a residue like Mineral spirits does, because Mineral spirits evaporates quickly. So a rinse in Acetone leaves you with a pretty much perfectly clean bearing. I prefer it way over any other chemical. > > Ummm, I really think you have that totally backwards. Acetone evaporates far quicker than mineral spirits. that’s why it feels colder on your hands (should you happen to get any on you). And because of that it will leave a residue at times… :wink: Really? I normally use gloves, so I’ve never experience that coldness. But in my experience, Acetone does clean better, whether it’s the speed of evaporation or not. Sorry for the mis-info. ---
**Author:** ![the\_dope\_chaud](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forums.yoyoexpert.com/the_dope_chaud/32/1176_2.png) [@the\_dope\_chaud](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/the_dope_chaud)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2012, 4:49pm UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/is-pant-thinner-a-good-method-of-bearing-cleaning/46501/16 "2012-12-17T16:49:48Z")
Make sure to use 100% acetone, because i have used some stuff before that obviously had other things in it and I tried it a few times on diff. bearings, It was terrible. ---
**Author:** ![GregP](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forums.yoyoexpert.com/gregp/32/1192_2.png) [@GregP](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/GregP)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2012, 5:49pm UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/is-pant-thinner-a-good-method-of-bearing-cleaning/46501/17 "2012-12-17T17:49:22Z")
> [@the\_dope\_chaud](#): > > Make sure to use 100% acetone, because i have used some stuff before that obviously had other things in it and I tried it a few times on diff. bearings, It was terrible. Sometimes nail polish remover calls itself “acetone” and as the\_dope\_chaud mentions above, it is not 100% pure. It contains fragrance and conditioners. I have used laboratory-grade acetone (I assume it was denatured and everything), store-bought acetone, and store-bought mineral spirits. Plain ol’ mineral spirits seems to be doing just as good of a job as anything else, and I’ve even been skipping the acetone bath step I used to use… Mineral spirits, paper slip to ensure there’s no gunk, then a drop or less of thin oil. Seems to be making me happy right now. Could change any time. :wink: