Acetone is a colorless highly flammable solvent made from carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen. It has many uses in the auto body and other industries. As it can be proportionally mixed with water, acetone is a very useful solvent. Considered generally safe for human use as long as safety procedures are adhered to, acetone is used in many cleaners and paint supplies, alone or mixed with water in the auto body industry.
Epoxies and super-glue can be extremely difficult to remove from car surfaces in the automobile industry. As a result, acetone is used sparingly by many mechanics to help remove them from car surfaces. Experienced mechanics take precautions by dabbing small amounts onto cloth before applying the acetone to cars as acetone can damage paint work if care is not taken.
Acetone is often used as a de-greaser in auto repair shops. Heavy grease is often found all over the metal work of cars by the time a job is finished. Acetone soaked rags are often used to remove grease from the metal work.
Acetone is also used before a paint job to remove any surface grease or grit that may affect the appearance of a paint job.
Acetone is often used to thin paint before applying paint to a car. This allows the paint to go on more evenly and reduce pooling. The acetone itself is dissolved after heating the paint.
