Are odorless mineral spirits any safer than turpentine?
Yes, but not much. Turpentine is a solvent distilled from pine tree resins. It contains many different volatile terpene compounds and is toxic and flammable. Mineral spirits are similar to turpentine in solvent properties but are distilled from petroleum and contain quite different compounds. Ordinary mineral spirits contain so-called aromatic compounds that, as their name suggests, have strong odors and are also quite toxic. Further distillation to remove these compounds produces “odorless” mineral spirits, which contain only straight-chain compounds of higher molecular weight that are somewhat less toxic. If you must use a distilled spirit for art projects, odorless mineral sprints is the best choice. However, for most people, and especially for children, use water-based paints and avoid the need for any type of solvents.
