It is amazing how greasy one can become, if one refuses to wash and lives on greasy fatty foods. The problem with soap and water is :1 it requires water 2: it takes time 3: sometimes you are just too dirty, and then it takes even more time.
Acetone is used as an industrial degreaser. Most substances excreted by the body (sebum, fatty acid, body odor chemicals, foot odor chemicals) are lipophilic, and soluble in acetone. I propose a full body acetone dip cylinder. The cylinder would be full to waist level with cool acetone - you could climb in at which point the acetone would be displaced to rise over your head. You could wiggle around or bit, or not, and then climb out, leaving all fatty greasy skin scum dissolved in the acetone. Acetone remaining on your skin would rapidly evaporate.
On leaving the cylinder you would be completely clean, degreased, destinked and dewaxed. It would take 10 seconds. The cylinder would be useful for: 1: Conditions where water is too scarce to use for bathing. 2: Conditions where bather is too lazy to use soap 3: Conditions where bather is really phenomenally stinky and greasy. 4: Conditions where you need to get really clean, really fast.-- bungston, May 05 2003 I forgot to mention that when taking a Degreaser Dip, you need to hold your breath. And close your eyes.-- bungston, May 05 2003 OH GOD MY EYES!!!! PLEASE STOP THE PAIN AAAARGH!!!! but... I feel so clean and refreshed.-- Worldgineer, May 05 2003 Just *what* are you doing that you need to wash your *whole body* with acetone? Or maybe I don't want to know.-- DrCurry, May 05 2003 When I used to surf in Isla Vista/Goleta area above Santa Barbara, there was one spot in particular which always had a break - Devereaux/Coal Oil Point. There's natural seapage of oil (not from oil derricks, Indians noted the oil long before the white man {No need to get PC about *white*, Kameleon or smileydudette} showed up) and you'd get it on your feet - surf or not (busiest beach in the area, too). Over the years, I did some comparisons of cleaners. Gain detergent beat everything else, hands, er, feet, down.-- thumbwax, May 05 2003 Trichloroethane is one of the most common solvents for degreasing. It's not very flammable. Often used in vapor degreasers and in motion-picture film cleaning (telecine suites). It is being replaced these days with less effective solvents but ones that aren't ozone damaging.
It has the strangest smell, though.-- bristolz, May 05 2003 I'm sure in almost all situations where one is dirty, the need to remain non-toxic outweighs the need to be "clean."-- ywong, May 06 2003 1. If it'll melt styrofoam, it'll probably be a little too much. 2. Where are the WOMEN who would complain about their nails ? 3. $$$ ? 4. "Water too scarce for Bathing"... like..Baghdad or Mars? Somehow, Acetone would probably be scarce there as well..
But a + anyhow, Mr Bungston. I know.. I'm a softie..-- mahatma, May 06 2003 Thanks, [dag] for giving me reason to give this a +-- mahatma, May 06 2003 i, too, am curious about the possible situations that could occur in which there is a scarcity of water, but an abundance of acetone and a six foot tube to hold it in...
apart from that, you'd need to keep the cylinder covered to prevent evaporation, but you'd need to uncover to dip yourself. so probably you'd need to top the vat off now and then... i don't know. is acetone cheaper than soap?-- urbanmatador, May 07 2003 [Tombomb] - we are talking about people so profoundly greasy that drying out the skin is not an issue. And it is interesting that [mahatma] came up with the Mars thing - I was also thinking a Mars base would be a good place for this.-- bungston, May 07 2003 I am thinking about the condition of the oft-used communal Degreaser Dip cylinder. If transparent, one could eye the thickness of the beige layer floating on top, left by prior users and decide whether you wanted to make your own contribution or wait a few more days. A screen at the bottom to stand on overlying a cone would allow heavier waxes, sand, hair and other substances to settle undisturbed by toes down to the bottom for later reclaimation.-- bungston, Jul 15 2011 Can I enquire as to whether any halfbakers have tried immersing their more delicate parts in acetone? It is not advisable. Don't ask.-- MaxwellBuchanan, Jul 15 2011 Odd to see a [bristolz] anno regarding trichlorethane - that girl sure had a broad knowledge base. I had enough exposure to that stuff in a vapor degreaser one summer in a plating shop to hold me for a lifetime - If you worked with it too long it was the two H (headaches and hallucinations).
Acetone diluted is nail polish remover, right? I think I'll pass - I'm with [thumbwax] on this one.-- normzone, Jul 18 2011 interesting note: acetone tastes really bad.-- WcW, Jul 19 2011 We suggest that (a) isopropanol is used instead of acetone, (b) the unit is a sprayer system rather than a dip tank, (c) the entire unit is manufactured to EexD or EexE standards with Intrinsically Safe electrical systems wherever possible, and (d) users are advised not to smoke in the immediate vicinity.
Other than the fire and explosion risk, the agonizing pain when organic solvents come into contact with mucous membranes, the dermatitis and the potential for triggering latent skin cancers, this is a great idea.-- 8th of 7, Jul 19 2011 random, halfbakery