6 ounce cleaning jar and cap. Used to clean windscreen repair injector tools after use.

Why Use Denatured Alcohol to Clean Injectors

The Delta Kits standard procedure for windscreen repair equipment necessitates that the equipment be thoroughly cleaned and maintained to ensure optimal repair quality. One question that pops up  is “What kind of alcohol do I use to clean the injector and injector cylinder?”

There are three main reasons why Delta Kits recommends the use of denatured alcohol for cleaning windscreen repair injectors.

1. A higher flash point (faster dry time)
2. Won’t cause the injector end seal to warp or swell
3. Thoroughly removes uncured resin from the injector plunger  and cylinder

Having a higher flash point means that denatured alcohol evaporates quickly when brought into contact with oxygen. Denatured alcohol has very little water content. Meaning a fast dry time and diminutive risk of rust forming on the injector or injector cylinder. Denatured alcohol efficiently removes uncured resin, and dries quickly, allowing technicians to properly store injector plungers and cylinders.

In addition to its high flash point, denatured alcohol does not cause the end seal to swell. The end seals are what ensure proper and effective resin injection into a glass break; a swollen, shrunken, hardened or warped end seal could result in improper resin injection and cause leaks. The composition of the Delta Kits’ end seal is extremely resilient to denatured alcohol and common acids found in windscreen repair resins. (Note: Denatured alcohol may shrink or harden competitor end seals.)

Why not use Acetone

Another popular chemical used for cleaning injectors is Acetone. Denatured alcohol is safer to use than Acetone since it is less toxic. Use protective respiratory masks when using Acetone. It is stated on the label of Acetone that it can cause cancer and birth defects (studies based in California), it cannot be made non-poisonous, and prolonged exposure can lead to neurological and psychological damage, among other side effects. Denatured alcohol is less toxic and easier on the skin.

The most important aspect of properly maintaining an optimally functioning injector is to keep it free of resin when it is not being used for a repair. Once resin cures on the tool, it becomes unusable and the injectors will no longer be able to switch from pressure to vacuum cycles. To keep this from happening, use denatured alcohol to properly remove remaining resin from injectors and injector cylinders before storage.

Delta Kits’ recommended use of denatured alcohol is not the “only way” to clean your injectors. However, through the company’s decades of experience it has proven it dries quickly, does not harm the end seals, and thoroughly removes remaining resin from injectors and injector cylinders. Most importantly it is safer than other popular products used for this purpose.