Will acetone hurt a disc?

[Spinthrift]

I have to agree that paper towels and even cloth like an old sock can leave scratches when used with acetone. I've found the best applicator to be cotton balls.

 

[DikkaD]

I use rubbing alcohol first, it takes more time but is milder, let the rubbing alcohol sit on the disc for a couple minutes, then rub and rinse.

I only move on to acetone if rubbing alcohol does not work. I once used acetone on a an older Discraft Z disc and it clearly melted a small layer of the plastic and left a little wave in the plastic.

Don't follow this method :wall:

 

[tomsdiscs]

Don't follow this method :wall:

Hey spazz - don't just put a comment like this, state why you think there is a problem with this approach, it has been working for years for me, so add some substance to your comment sport.

 

[IHearChains]

Slightly off-topic, but please note that, while acetone (when used sparingly) may not hurt a disc, it can certainly harm you. Breathing in acetone (and it evaporates very quickly) can cause serious liver damage. If you are going to use it, make sure you do it in a very-well-ventilated area!

This is not an issue of concern unless you are exposed to large quantities for long periods of time.

Acetone is a naturally occurring compound in normal human physiology:

"Mean concentrations of acetone in "normal," nonexposed adult humans have been measured as 840ug/L in blood, 842ug/L in urine, and 715 ng/L in alveolar air (Wang et al., 1994). Stewart et al.(1975) reported blood acetone concentrations in male subjects prior to exposure to acetone as ranging from 0.73 to 1.29 mg% (mg/100 ml) and in female subjects as 2.86 mg %. Acetone blood concentrations in healthy individuals are reported to range from 0.3 to 2.0 mg/100 ml(Physicians Desk Reference, 1976)."

The reference dose per day, which is not thought to have any deleterious effects for a lifetime, is 0.9 mg/kg. That means a 100 kg person could directly ingest 90 mg of acetone per day for their entire lifetime without problems. And the effects of non-chronic larger exposures, mainly eye and respiratory irritation, are reversible.

More relevant to disc golfers is the fact that beer causes liver damage. :\

Also, drinking a bottle of soy sauce, or even too much water in a short time, will kill you. Oooh yes they are chemicals!!!! Be sure to use those chemicals in a safe place!!! Better watch out!!! :doh:

Let's use some basic scientific literacy and try not to spread unwarranted paranoia.

 

[@iDiscGolf]

Quick question. I use acetone sometimes to clean hard scuffs and bad dirt stains as well as stamps from my discs then wash them with soap. But, will using this method on a disc thats Dyed remove or lighten the dye at all?

I doubt it (because its in the disc not superficial like a stamp) but wanted to ask the Dye pros here first...

 

[SteezeOG]

Quick question. I use acetone sometimes to clean hard scuffs and bad dirt stains as well as stamps from my discs then wash them with soap. But, will using this method on a disc thats Dyed remove or lighten the dye at all?

I doubt it (because its in the disc not superficial like a stamp) but wanted to ask the Dye pros here first...

I'd use acetone very sparingly. It's a solvent and not good for plastic it just happens to be very good at removing stamps. I've never met a dirt or stain that soaking in warm water with dawn soap and a mild scrubber couldn't handle. If you're talking pond stains from recovered discs nothing is going to take care of that, not even a bath of acetone. It will also fade dyes if used too much for cleaning in my experience. Dye is soaked in and you won't remove it but you do lighten the color on those top layers and acetone lightens plastic pigment anyway so it will have an effect on a dyed discs brightness over time. Not as much as sun fading will though. Don't leave dyed discs sitting in your yard all summer.

 

[@iDiscGolf]

I'd use acetone very sparingly. It's a solvent and not good for plastic it just happens to be very good at removing stamps. I've never met a dirt or stain that soaking in warm water with dawn soap and a mild scrubber couldn't handle. If you're talking pond stains from recovered discs nothing is going to take care of that, not even a bath of acetone. It will also fade dyes if used too much for cleaning in my experience. Dye is soaked in and you won't remove it but you do lighten the color on those top layers and acetone lightens plastic pigment anyway so it will have an effect on a dyed discs brightness over time. Not as much as sun fading will though. Don't leave dyed discs sitting in your yard all summer.

Thanks, appreciate it. With that said, I have a dyed disc that has some areas that "bled" so to speak. Would acetone lighten that potentially, does it depend on how long the dye has been in the disc? And is it more damage than its worth ultimately.

 

[SteezeOG]

Thanks, appreciate it. With that said, I have a dyed disc that has some areas that "bled" so to speak. Would acetone lighten that potentially, does it depend on how long the dye has been in the disc? And is it more damage than its worth ultimately.

I would say it's not worth it at all. It could possibly lighten up those bleed areas but unless you just pulled it from the dye bath and washed it up I don't think it would have a noticeable effect. Once a dye is set it's pretty much set. The only thing that is going to fade it out is time and sun. I'd say throw that thing and pretend you wanted it to bleed and just do better next go round. Someone else who does a lot of dyes could maybe give you extra tips but I do know acetone. It's pretty good at eating plastic so use it only when necessary is my advice. Skimming this old thread was cool. I didn't know so many people didn't use paper towels. I don't have an issue with them roughing up plastic but I also only use them for big areas of wiping. I use q-tips for detailed areas.

 

[Max15Characters]

Whatever you do, don't leave a pool of acetone in the underside of a disc to remove ink etc. especially for Star or ESP plastic. The acetone, if prevented from evaporating by covering it with a plate or another disc, will seep into the plastic and severely warp the disc. I wish I'd taken a picture; it was domed out 1.5 times the usual depth of the disc, but pinched around the rim.

 

[Dthunderchicken]

For you acetone users, butyl rubber gloves are a must! Acetone will absorb through the skin and is a carcinogen. It will also melt nitrile. (Not sure about latex.)