ACETONE: BEST USES IN TUB • TILE • COUNTERTOP REFINISHING
SHARKGRIP COATINGS
A powerful, clean, VOC-exempt shop solvent when used in the right lane.
The simplest way to think about acetone
Acetone is not a “universal reducer.” It’s a fast, clean, high-evaporation solvent that’s excellent for cleaning and specific coating systems. For porcelain-grade finishes, rely on engineered reducers designed to protect wetting, flow, DOI, and film formation.
✅ Good uses for acetone in this business
FIELD-PROVEN
Spray equipment cleaning & flushing
- Flushing spray guns after lacquer/ketone products
- Cleaning needles/nozzles and fluid passages
- Degreasing metal parts prior to reassembly
Tip: Follow with a compatible final flush so seals don’t dry out.
Removing fresh overspray / wet mistakes
- Cleaning fresh overspray on tools and hard surfaces
- Wiping off accidental wet drips on masking plastic
- Quick cleanup on mixing sticks, funnels, and measuring cups
Works best before the coating crosslinks or hardens.
Fast “dry-to-touch” boost in the RIGHT systems
- Ketone-forward coatings designed for it
- Liquid Porcelain Enamel (MAK-based carriers)
- Some lacquer-style repair blends and niche systems
In MAK-rich systems, acetone acts like a flash booster, not the primary carrier.
Pre-cleaning shop grime (not “final wipe”)
- Cutting heavy shop oils on tools and metal stands
- Initial wipe to remove loose grime before true prep
- Degreasing benches, racks, and spray area surfaces
Important: For substrate prep, use a true contaminant remover like SWAT.
Adhesive & marker residue (light-duty)
- Removing fresh tape residue on tools
- Cleaning ink/marker transfer on non-critical surfaces
- Quick wipe on plastic shields (test first)
Not recommended on delicate plastics without a spot test.
“Exempt solvent” advantage
- Useful where VOC compliance matters
- Fast cleaning without “hang time” odor
- Great to keep on the truck for cleaning tasks
Acetone is widely classified as VOC-exempt in many regulatory frameworks.
⚠️ Where acetone is the wrong tool
We don’t “bash” acetone — we just don’t want you learning expensive lessons on a real job. For fine refinishing and porcelain-grade results, use our tuned reducers designed for the exact resin system.
- 2K iso-cured urethanes: moisture pickup + flash shock can contribute to blush, haze, fish-eyes, and downgloss.
- High-solids polyamide epoxies (82%+): acetone often beads and sits on top (poor wetting / weak penetration).
- Final wipe for contamination control: flashes so fast it can smear silicone/wax instead of lifting it away.
If your goal is “mimic porcelain” gloss and DOI: Use SharkGrip’s fine-tuned reducers engineered to maintain wetting, flow, and film formation not just thin the product.
Better than acetone for surface prep? Use SWAT.
SWAT is built to remove modern contamination (silicone oils, waxes, polishes, nano coatings) by digesting and holding residues in solution long enough to be wiped off, instead of spreading them thin across the substrate.
Available in: Single Gallon • 5-Gallon Pail • Drum
PRO SUPPLY OPTIONS
Need a gallon for the shop, 5’s for the crew, or drums for production? We ship all three. If you’re chasing a porcelain-grade finish, ask us for the correct reducer plan for your coating system and spray setup.
