Diesel Fuel spray

It is common to spray concrete working equipment with diesel so that the cement splashes don't adhere well and can be knocked off by water wash.

Diesel, IMHO, is not a very good corrosion inhibitor since it is a bit too volatile. It would give some oil wetting and leave a light coating of oil/wax but there are probably better and safer things to use.

It is a reasonably cheap light oil. For instance, many of those cans of bug/tar remover are basically the same as diesel fuel, but the price for a little can is the same as a whole gallon of diesel.

Functionally, they work much the same. There are compounds in diesel however that are hazardous to your health.

Some of those tar removing solvents are made from relatively safe solvents, like Isopars.

But there certainly isn't so much difference in price between diesel and the safer solvents when handled in bulk. You pay for the nice little can, etc, in the auto parts store.

Most of us have been so exposed to gasoline and diesel fumes, and worse, over the years that we don't even count the danger of exposure anymore.

There might be a little "My Big Fat Greek Wedding"* scenario going on here, but I can also see it being used as a water displacing oil. (I think kerosene is a major ingredient of WD-40.) Its lubricating properties are not great but there are some. Whether he thinks plastic parts, the couch, and you need to be protected from rust, and if so whether the same chemical should be used, are questions best left to Mom; but I can see spraying it onto unfinished metal objects around the farm as a better-than-nothing rust inhibitor.

I don't suggest using it where either serious rustproofing or serious lubrication are required. It is at best a very thin oil and shouldn't be expected to do the job of a grease.

Avoiding unnecessary skin and inhalation exposure to it as an aerosol is also a good idea, to say nothing of being careful about open flame, etc.

Cheers,

--Joe

• I won't spoil a running gag from a pretty cute movie that you might not have seen by explaining this.

A lot of old school farmers would wash their tractors, etc. with Diesel as it would act as a solvent and wax all in one. If you just wipe the metal down with a Diesely rag and let it dry, it leaves behind a little bit of a wax coating which will protect the surface (this is NOT true of gasoline, BTW.)

nate

We used to do this in dirt track stock car racing to keep mud from sticking to the body of the car. For several years most dirt tracks have banned this practice citing the risk of getting in trouble with the EPA. I'm just as glad because of the pervasive stink.

Don