Originally Posted by euroford
it definitly does leave a petroluem residue, how much this will effect disk brakes i'm unsure, but would not chance it. besides, isopropyl is more readily available anyways.
Denaturants are selected to give the ethanol a disagreeable taste or odor and in some cases a distinctive color. In some cases the substances added are toxic and produce gastric disturbances upon ingestion and/or other unpleasant symptoms. A large number of different "denaturants" are utilized dependent upon the use for which the ethanol is intended. These denaturants include methyl isobutyl ketone, pyronate, kerosene, acetone, turpentine, amyl alcohol, methyl alcohol, and various butyl alcohols. In some cases more than one denaturant is utilized. From
http://chemcases.com/alcohol/alc-03.htm.
The most common denaturants (in the US) are methanol, isopropyl alcohol and butyl alcohols. Those would evaporate readily and leave no residue. Of the list above only kerosene would leave a residue (not sure what pyronate is and I'm having search engine problems). Also, the denaturant isn't added in sufficient quantities to make you dead - just really sick - so the concentration is low. As I said before, any residual material would be vanishingly small.