This is an excellent post.
Originally Posted by
wschruba
This can't be repeated enough in this thread.
There's a maxim "use the weakest chemical that will do the job." If you want to read between the lines here: use the weakest chemical that does the job using a reasonable amount of it [the chemical], doesn't waste a ton of your time, and isn't a nightmare to dispose of.
Do y'all know how you are supposed to dispose of Simple Green and all those other 'green' or 'natural' cleaners? You can't/shouldn't just pour it down a drain or into soil. Capture all of the used liquid (clean over a container), then pour it all out into an evaporation tray. Once the liquid evaporates off, you need to collect the remaining soil, and take it to a hazmat disposal, since it contains petroleum distillates. Compare this with using mineral spirits, for instance:
You clean over a container using a small amount of mineral spirits. Pour this suspension of crap into a jar, and allow the stuff to settle. Decant the mineral spirits off the top back into the container, or simply wait until you have a full jar, and use it until it no longer cleans effectively...which will be a far longer time than a water-based cleaner. Once it no longer works effectively for your purposes (oil in the mixture will become a larger and larger part), bring the jar to be disposed of at a hazmat site (some auto shops accept these...).
Considering that you need to work in a well-ventilated space, it's a small trade-off to have a superior tool for the job.