Can Methyl Alcohol use to clean lens?

[weilong05]

Can anyone tell me whether 99% Methyl Alcohol can be use to clean lens?

 

[user12343]

tink methyl alcohol is not as pure as isopropyl alcohol (IPA), which i tink is found in photosol's cleaning solution. IPA is fast-evaporating, dries completely and leaves no stains behind.

 

[Andy Ang]

Use only iso-2-propanol (Isoprpanol)

 

[LittleWolf]

Can anyone tell me whether 99% Methyl Alcohol can be use to clean lens?

Methanol is an excellent solvent for cleaning optics. About the only drawback is that it is toxic (and is resorbed through the skin). As for 99% purity, it would depend what the remaining 1% is. The specifications for organic solvents usually mention something like "evaporation residue" or "nonvolatile components".

 

[jnet6]

will it "eat" up the coating on the lens??

 

[karnage]

Methanol will cause you to go blind! Don't touch it barehand!

 

[Andy Ang]

Gosh! No wonder my vision is getting worse by the day!

 

[Andy Ang]

EMERGENCY OVERVIEW


Appearance: APHA: 10 max. Flash Point: 12 deg C.
Warning! Flammable liquid. May cause skin irritation. May cause central nervous system depression. May be absorbed through the skin. May cause kidney damage. May cause respiratory and digestive tract irritation. May be fatal or cause blindness if swallowed. May cause fetal effects. Causes severe eye irritation and possible injury. Target Organs: Kidneys, central nervous system, eyes.

Potential Health Effects


Eye:
Produces irritation, characterized by a burning sensation, redness, tearing, inflammation, and possible corneal injury. Vapors may cause eye irritation. May cause painful sensitization to light.


Skin:
May cause skin irritation.


Ingestion:
May be fatal or cause blindness if swallowed. May cause irritation of the digestive tract. May cause kidney damage. May cause systemic
toxicity with acidosis. May cause central nervous system depression, characterized by excitement, followed by headache, dizziness,
drowsiness, and nausea. Advanced stages may cause collapse, unconsciousness, coma and possible death due to respiratory failure.


Inhalation:
May cause respiratory tract irritation. May cause visual impairment and possible permanent blindness. May cause effects similar to those
described for ingestion.


Chronic:
Prolonged or repeated skin contact may cause dermatitis. Chronic inhalation and ingestion may cause effects similar to those of acute
inhalation and ingestion.

 

[DanMan]

Use only iso-2-propanol (Isoprpanol)

Pardon my ignorance, but where can I buy this? Thanks.

 

[Andy Ang]

Hmm... Donno leh.
Although my 'workplace' have lots. ;p

 

[LittleWolf]

will it "eat" up the coating on the lens??

No, it won't.

 

[LittleWolf]

EMERGENCY OVERVIEW
...

In all fairness, one should also have a look at the effects of the various components of gasoline which is sold and inhaled in huge quantities at gas stops all over Singapore. Oh yes, I think methanol is one of the more harmless ones .

 

[furball]

Erm, methanol and propanol are technically two different things. You do not compare purity of the two.

Anyway, Littlewolf, what makes u sure sure it doesnt "eat" up the coating.

The above mentioned are solvents. It would be foolish to use any of these on ur camera gears.

 

[LittleWolf]

Erm, methanol and propanol are technically two different things. You do not compare purity of the two.

Anyway, Littlewolf, what makes u sure sure it doesnt "eat" up the coating.

Ok, I should qualify that. It will eat up oil-based coatings such as fingerprints. Magnesium flouride and other optical coating materials are insoluble in methanol. If one uses a plastic lens, methanol may also not be a good idea.

The above mentioned are solvents. It would be foolish to use any of these on ur camera gears.

Of course they are solvents, why else would one use them for cleaning? They are meant to dissolve contaminants sticking to the lens. Water is also a solvent (and an extremely potent one at that), but it doesn't work well for non-polar dirt like grease and oil. Methanol dissolves many polar and non-polar contaminants, is easy to obtain with sufficient purity, isn't highly taxed (like ethanol), and dries off quickly.

 

[hazmee]

Thanks for the great info LittleWolf. Cheers!

 

[jnet6]

Ok, I should qualify that. It will eat up oil-based coatings such as fingerprints. Magnesium flouride and other optical coating materials are insoluble in methanol. If one uses a plastic lens, methanol may also not be a good idea.



Of course they are solvents, why else would one use them for cleaning? They are meant to dissolve contaminants sticking to the lens. Water is also a solvent (and an extremely potent one at that), but it doesn't work well for non-polar dirt like grease and oil. Methanol dissolves many polar and non-polar contaminants, is easy to obtain with sufficient purity, isn't highly taxed (like ethanol), and dries off quickly.

i only use it to clean metal/plastic materials...

*been touching it for almost everyday, sick of the smell.