Methylene Chloride Paint Stripper
Moderate burden — Methylene Chloride Paint Stripper adds a moderate, reducible exposure.
Solvent paint and coating removers used in a closed room.
The breakdown
Each driver rated 0 (none) to 10 (worst)
Evidence strength: strong · Detox Score = 100 − hazard×4.6 − exposure×3.4 − persistence×2.6, clamped 1–100.
What this means for you
A Detox Score of 47 places methylene chloride paint stripper in the Moderate band. The chemical-hazard rating is what drives the score down. Methylene chloride vapour displaces oxygen in the blood and has killed people refinishing bathtubs in unventilated spaces. US regulators banned it from consumer paint and coating removal in 2019 and tightened the remaining uses under a 2024 risk-management rule.
Frequently asked questions
Is methylene chloride paint stripper a toxic exposure?
Methylene Chloride Paint Stripper has a Detox Score of 47 out of 100 (Moderate burden), which means it adds a moderate, reducible exposure. Methylene chloride vapour displaces oxygen in the blood and has killed people refinishing bathtubs in unventilated spaces. US regulators banned it from consumer paint and coating removal in 2019 and tightened the remaining uses under a 2024 risk-management rule.
What is a safer alternative to methylene chloride paint stripper?
A lower-exposure swap for methylene chloride paint stripper is: A benzyl-alcohol or soy-based stripper, or sanding with dust extraction. Methylene chloride vapour displaces oxygen in the blood and has killed people refinishing bathtubs in unventilated spaces. US regulators banned it from consumer paint and coating removal in 2019 and tightened the remaining uses under a 2024 risk-management rule.