I have seen several post where the 2 terms are used as intercangeable, and my mind they aren't. So I want to clear this out. I have also seen posts that state "my product doesn't contain solvents", which I think is false. Finally, I have also seen posts that "I won't apply such product as topper, it has chemical smell and will remove my application of xxx product" I think that is also false. So stop by and give your assessment.
Solvent: Agent used as "carrier" to give the product in its pre-final state (container) the physical properties to be manageable (emulsion or paste) thus allowing it to be applied. This is a "carrier agent"
Cleaner: Agent added to the product with the solely purpose of helping it remove or clean any substance present on the surface during application
This should make the difference very clear. Solvents are additional ingredients to make the product usable (carrier agents) while cleaners has the specific purpose of removing whatever that is on the surface to be applied. Thus, this leads me to the following conclusions:
ALL products with NO exceptions contains solvents, no matter if the carrier agent (solvent) is kerosene, coconut oil or donkey's milk to keep it beautiful as Cleopatra. A solvent is strictly an agent used to make the product workable before its final state!!!
Some products, in addition to the solvents contain cleaners TRUE, all in one and cleaner waxes fall in this group.
Some other products, while having solvents don't contain cleaners TRUE, pure waxes and sealants fall in this group.
It can be argued that if the carrier agent (solvent) has the property to dissolve the product in the container, it should do it also while on the surface, right? I would say partially right. Some products have been designed so the final state of the product on the surface (cured) is not easily affected by the carrier agent. Think about concrete, that while water makes the cement and sand mix workable and can affcet it or even remove it, once the concrete is dry water will not affect it. An additional agent exists in the product so the final state is not susceptible to the solvent used to kep it workable in the container. An external catalyst or curing agent is needed also (air or dryness) to change the product into its final state. I think that products know to layer well obey this rule (EX-P, Z, UPP, etc)
On the same lines, it doesn't mean that once the product is fully cured the solvent (carrier agent) won't remove it (same product) This is why older carnaubas (purer) were never truly layerable. Newer carnaubas and blends without cleaners, as well as pure sealants contain additives to ensure the final cured state is less susceptible to the original solvent (think about concrete again). I would say t is safe to assume that the purer the carnauba (less additional ingredients) the less layerable it will be. If the product contains cleaners, well, the outcome is obvious. In products without cleaners, it depends on the additional additives to ensure that some layerability is possible. #845 falls in this group, and while not a true layerable item 2 coats last longer than one, and 3 last longer than 2......
Finally, the last one is that a product with a "chemical smell" will remove whatever that is present on the surface. First, being the formulas among brands and manufacturers so different the carrier agent (solvent) of one product may not be effective at all if tried in a different formula. Second, the fact that smels chemical doesn't mean the solvent (carrier agent) is strong as remover and will be able to remove a different product. Petrolatum (vaseline) smells chemical and won't remove anything. To get out of my doubts, I did the following experiment:
- I took a glass shower door that had water spots and soap film, and washed it. It wasn't completely clean on purpose, then I took 4 products: Eagle one naowax (delicious fruity smell), poorboys EX (tropical banana like), Nu-finish (yucky chemical smell, maybe the worst smelling product) and Colllinite insulator wax #845 (chemical smell). As you can see, 2 products have nice smells and 2 had chemical smells, and each group was divided in cleaner or no cleeaning. Based on the fallacy of "chemical smell" means it will remove whatever is below the nice smells would not bond, while the chemical smells would bond. Applied them, and since application you could see that the products that contained NO cleaners were struggling (#845 and EX). Nufinish has a breeze being aplied, and nanowax wasn't difficult. Removed the hazed products and in fact the products with cleaners felt slicker right off the application (#845 is super slick, but not this time) Use the shower and by the second day the water was not beading in the Ex and #845 section while running like mad in the other 2. If you have used #845 you know that this products is as tough as a 25 cents steak, so looking at it without beading was starnge and means it didn't stick because it didn't remove what was below.
So, please chime in and share the comments.
Alex
Solvent: Agent used as "carrier" to give the product in its pre-final state (container) the physical properties to be manageable (emulsion or paste) thus allowing it to be applied. This is a "carrier agent"
Cleaner: Agent added to the product with the solely purpose of helping it remove or clean any substance present on the surface during application
This should make the difference very clear. Solvents are additional ingredients to make the product usable (carrier agents) while cleaners has the specific purpose of removing whatever that is on the surface to be applied. Thus, this leads me to the following conclusions:
ALL products with NO exceptions contains solvents, no matter if the carrier agent (solvent) is kerosene, coconut oil or donkey's milk to keep it beautiful as Cleopatra. A solvent is strictly an agent used to make the product workable before its final state!!!
Some products, in addition to the solvents contain cleaners TRUE, all in one and cleaner waxes fall in this group.
Some other products, while having solvents don't contain cleaners TRUE, pure waxes and sealants fall in this group.
It can be argued that if the carrier agent (solvent) has the property to dissolve the product in the container, it should do it also while on the surface, right? I would say partially right. Some products have been designed so the final state of the product on the surface (cured) is not easily affected by the carrier agent. Think about concrete, that while water makes the cement and sand mix workable and can affcet it or even remove it, once the concrete is dry water will not affect it. An additional agent exists in the product so the final state is not susceptible to the solvent used to kep it workable in the container. An external catalyst or curing agent is needed also (air or dryness) to change the product into its final state. I think that products know to layer well obey this rule (EX-P, Z, UPP, etc)
On the same lines, it doesn't mean that once the product is fully cured the solvent (carrier agent) won't remove it (same product) This is why older carnaubas (purer) were never truly layerable. Newer carnaubas and blends without cleaners, as well as pure sealants contain additives to ensure the final cured state is less susceptible to the original solvent (think about concrete again). I would say t is safe to assume that the purer the carnauba (less additional ingredients) the less layerable it will be. If the product contains cleaners, well, the outcome is obvious. In products without cleaners, it depends on the additional additives to ensure that some layerability is possible. #845 falls in this group, and while not a true layerable item 2 coats last longer than one, and 3 last longer than 2......
Finally, the last one is that a product with a "chemical smell" will remove whatever that is present on the surface. First, being the formulas among brands and manufacturers so different the carrier agent (solvent) of one product may not be effective at all if tried in a different formula. Second, the fact that smels chemical doesn't mean the solvent (carrier agent) is strong as remover and will be able to remove a different product. Petrolatum (vaseline) smells chemical and won't remove anything. To get out of my doubts, I did the following experiment:
- I took a glass shower door that had water spots and soap film, and washed it. It wasn't completely clean on purpose, then I took 4 products: Eagle one naowax (delicious fruity smell), poorboys EX (tropical banana like), Nu-finish (yucky chemical smell, maybe the worst smelling product) and Colllinite insulator wax #845 (chemical smell). As you can see, 2 products have nice smells and 2 had chemical smells, and each group was divided in cleaner or no cleeaning. Based on the fallacy of "chemical smell" means it will remove whatever is below the nice smells would not bond, while the chemical smells would bond. Applied them, and since application you could see that the products that contained NO cleaners were struggling (#845 and EX). Nufinish has a breeze being aplied, and nanowax wasn't difficult. Removed the hazed products and in fact the products with cleaners felt slicker right off the application (#845 is super slick, but not this time) Use the shower and by the second day the water was not beading in the Ex and #845 section while running like mad in the other 2. If you have used #845 you know that this products is as tough as a 25 cents steak, so looking at it without beading was starnge and means it didn't stick because it didn't remove what was below.
So, please chime in and share the comments.
Alex
:xyxthumbs
