Should I Replace My Turpentine?

Question

I've had a jar of Turpenoid (oderless turpentine) for about a year. I haven't really painted anything for a few months and I'm planning to start now. But should I discard the old turp? Also, I have a metal mesh on the bottom and all the paint is settled in the bottom but the turp looks kinda brown.

Answer 1

You could but you don't have to. I suspect you have some ' sediment' in your turp. (Er...you even said so in your question) Just gently poor it in a ' fresh' jar and you are good to go. You could even clean the jar and the mesh now and poor the old turp back in.

As you already guessed it isn't a good thing to start with a mess when it is so easy to get it clean.

Answer 2

I think you could purchase another pint of turps but now if you decide not to save your old turpentine then throw the old stuff into some old rags or old newspaper and have it be aborbed into them and then throw it away. Just don't put it right down the sink because it is a toxic liquid even though it's low on the scale of being dangerous to we humans. But like those guys were saying you could strain it thru a cloth or use other ways to renew it so you could use it again. It won't "go bad" due to age, only if it all evaperates into the atmosphere will it be "done with", otherwise you can still use it.

Answer 3

You could try pouring off the top and seeing if its still usable, its probably still fine at least for cleaning brushes. If not look into what method your local municipal waste department has of disposing of toxic chemicals. It is illegal in most places to throw out or pour down the drain paint thinner.

Answer 4

When I paint with oils I have three containers of thinner..

1. that is totally clean and fresh

2. I clean the brushes with the second [allow the sediment to settle & pour it through a coffee filter or layers of cheesecloth to #3

3. is my filtered container... which I pour back into #2 after cleaning that container.

when the filtered thinner is too "poluted" I dispose of it.

NOTE: thinners and materials that come in contact with thinners need to be disposed of properly... that means taking those materials to a transfer station or dump that has facilities for hazardous materials

Answer 5

pour it in a fresh jar and start painting, but if the turps is to dirty, remember it wont clean your brushes well enough.

can i reccommend some solevent free hazard free oil paints for you:http://www.winsornewton.com/main.aspx?PageID=35
these oils are water mixable and can be thinned with water. They are not water based, they just contain a special time of linseed oil.

Answer 6

It's probably still fine, but I always say when in doubt, throw it out!