White spirit is not a drinking alcohol. It is a petroleum-based solvent, a clear, colorless liquid distilled from crude oil and used primarily as a paint thinner, brush cleaner, and degreaser. The word “spirit” in its name comes from an older chemical meaning of the term (a volatile liquid), not from any connection to alcoholic beverages. Swallowing white spirit is poisonous and can cause severe internal damage.
Depending on where you live, you may know this product by a different name. In the United States and Canada, it is called mineral spirits. In Australia and New Zealand, it goes by mineral turpentine. Other common labels include Stoddard solvent, turpentine substitute, petroleum spirits, and simply paint thinner. These names all refer to essentially the same family of products.
What White Spirit Is Made Of
White spirit is a mixture of petroleum hydrocarbons, meaning it is made up of many different carbon-and-hydrogen molecules extracted during the refining of crude oil. The liquid typically boils between 150°C and 190°C (about 300°F to 375°F), which places it in a heavier range than gasoline but lighter than kerosene. It has a flash point around 40°C (104°F), making it flammable and requiring careful storage away from heat and open flames.
The product comes in several grades based on how much additional processing it receives after distillation. The key variable is aromatic hydrocarbon content, which affects both the solvent’s strength and its toxicity:
- Type 0 (straight-run): Distilled from crude oil with no further treatment. Has the highest aromatic content.
- Type 1 (regular): Treated to reduce sulfur. Contains up to about 25% aromatics by weight, with most commercial products falling in the 15–20% range. This is the most widely sold grade, and Stoddard solvent is the North American equivalent.
- Type 2 (dearomatized): Solvent-extracted to bring aromatic content below 5%. Less odorous and somewhat less toxic.
- Type 3 (high-purity): Hydrogenated to push aromatics below 1%. Often marketed as “odorless mineral spirits” and preferred for indoor use.
Lower aromatic content means milder fumes and reduced health risk, but also slightly less dissolving power. For most household painting tasks, Type 2 or Type 3 works well. Industrial applications that need aggressive cleaning may call for Type 1.
How It Differs From Turpentine
White spirit is sometimes sold as “turpentine substitute,” which adds to the confusion. True turpentine is a natural product, distilled from the resin of pine trees and other conifers like European larch and white fir. White spirit is entirely synthetic, refined from petroleum. Both can thin oil-based paints and clean brushes, but white spirit is cheaper, more widely available, and has largely replaced turpentine in everyday use. Artists still sometimes prefer genuine turpentine for its handling properties, though it carries its own toxicity concerns.
Common Uses
The main reason people buy white spirit is to work with oil-based paints and varnishes. It thins paint to the right consistency for brushing or spraying, cleans brushes and rollers after use, and removes dried paint spots from hard surfaces. Beyond painting, it serves as a general-purpose degreaser for metal parts, tools, and machinery. Some people use it to remove adhesive residue, wax, or tar from surfaces around the home.
In industry, white spirit appears in the formulation of paints, coatings, printing inks, and cleaning products. It evaporates cleanly without leaving a residue, which makes it useful wherever a surface needs to be stripped of oils or contaminants before further treatment.
Why It Is Dangerous to Drink
White spirit is toxic. It is not ethanol (the alcohol in beer, wine, and liquor), and ingesting even a small amount can cause serious harm. Symptoms of poisoning include severe throat and abdominal pain, vomiting (sometimes with blood), difficulty breathing, rapid heartbeat, dizziness, seizures, and loss of consciousness. It can burn the esophagus and stomach lining, and the resulting scar tissue may cause long-term problems with breathing, swallowing, and digestion.
Inhaling concentrated fumes is also harmful. Short-term exposure in a poorly ventilated space can cause dizziness, headaches, and nausea. Prolonged or repeated inhalation may lead to numbness in the arms and legs, memory problems, and nervous system damage. Skin contact with white spirit strips natural oils from the skin, causing irritation, dryness, and in severe cases, chemical burns.
Safe Handling at Home
If you use white spirit for DIY projects, a few precautions go a long way. Always work in a well-ventilated area, ideally outdoors or with windows open and a fan moving air out of the room. Wear chemical-resistant gloves (nitrile works well) to protect your skin, and avoid breathing the vapors for extended periods. If you are working indoors for more than a few minutes, consider choosing a low-odor or odorless variety (Type 3), which produces far fewer harmful fumes.
Store white spirit in its original container with the lid tightly sealed. Keep it away from heat sources, direct sunlight, and anything that could produce a spark. A metal flammable-storage cabinet is ideal, but at minimum, store it in a cool, dry place out of reach of children and pets.
How to Dispose of It Properly
White spirit should never go down a household drain, into a storm sewer, or onto the ground. It is classified as household hazardous waste. Most local governments offer collection programs, either through permanent drop-off points at county landfills and transfer stations or through periodic special collection events. Check with your local public works office or waste management authority to find the nearest option. Some hardware stores also accept used solvents for recycling.
If you have a small amount of white spirit left after cleaning brushes, you can let the solids settle to the bottom of a sealed jar, then carefully pour off the clear liquid to reuse it. This extends the life of the product and reduces the amount you need to dispose of.