I also cleaned a spot on the inside as part of the experiment.

Time for OCBen to debunk my bad advice.

 

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission classifies acetone as a solvent-based paint stripper. Now set aside for the moment that it is also listed as a Hazardous Material by the EPA with significant health and safety risks if used improperly. Focus your attention, if you will, on the key word paint stripper. Also, read the warning label on your can of acetone there – yes, the fine print that most people in a hurry seem to ignore. ... Did it ever cross your mind why it doesn't say it is safe to use on painted surfaces? Do you suppose the expressed warning there is just one of those silly disclaimers to discourage frivolous lawsuits?

Also, in your owners manual (assuming you own a Porsche), do you suppose that the only reason Porsche expressly and explicitly warns against using acetone in the paint care section was just so they could cover all bases (CYA) against potential litigation when it's really harmless to use on painted surfaces?

I find it highly amusing that Mr. Tool (Not-So-Smarty) Pants thinks he knows better than the chemist professionals. ... After all, he just spun the cylinder on his revolver and all he heard was a click. And he has the pictures to prove the chamber was empty. (Double entendre intentional.)

Getting back to the health hazards. Prolonged exposure to acetone can cause dizziness, headaches, nausea, deliria... Use only in well ventilated areas.

Bottom line: to go against all explicit warnings and risk your own property is one thing. To come into this forum and recommend the same...is quite another. Hence the need to debunk your bad advice.

I'll leave you with anecdotal reports of acetone damage to automotive paint.

From http://autopia.org/forum/showthread.php?t=4157 (3rd post)

"Don't make the mistake I made years ago after I got my little Mazda truck repaired. The body shop did a horrible job, and there was overspray everywhere. I bought a can of Acetone and used that to remove the overspray. It worked great. It was only later when I washed the car that I realized the clear coat was gone in the places I used the Acetone."

And this:

 

Just took this photo inside my closed garage. My apologies for the poor lighting.

Two years ago my neighbor (who is a mechanic and has his own tire changing equipment in his backyard) mounted and balanced a set of tires for my daily driver that UPS delivered. The inside of the wheels were really filthy and needed to be cleaned in order to attach the adhesive-backed balance weights. He handed me a can of acetone and a brush and told me to clean them real good with it. I asked if the acetone would hurt the clearcoat on the wheels and he said, "Nahhh." And so like an obedient apprentice I followed my master's orders and cleaned them real good.

Shortly thereafter I noticed that the wheels were taking on a hazy, whitish look. And when I cleaned them with my P21S cleaner the clearcoat began to crack and flake off, and every time I cleaned them more flakes came off, though now I don't notice much coming off anymore.

Granted, the wheels were 18 yrs old at the time and no doubt had had some invisible UV induced degradation to the clearcoat, but I had kept them in pristine condition 'til then and was really bummed out when this happened - I'm still bummed out over it and is a source of embarrassment to me everytime someone comes up to me to compliment me on how great a condition the car is in. I suppose I could strip them completely and have them recoated but the car has some 250k original miles on it and I plan to get rid of it sometime this year anyway.

Some things you learn the hard way I suppose. I mentioned it to my neighbor in passing but I never made a big stink about it since he had done the mounting and balancing for me for free.

 

I've had good results with citrus based cleaners on non-painted surfaces.

http://www.chieffirewater.com/

- Environmentally safe
- Non-flammable
- Non-toxic
- Biodegradable
- All recyclable packaging materials

 

Thanks for the great advice guys. I poured acetone all over my car starting from the top and gave it a good scrubbing with some brillo pads. The adhesive on the wheels melted off by the time I got down to them.

Seriously, thanks for the advice.

 

Hmmm, and you've been touting that P21S wheel cleaner too, even though it cracked the clear coat and caused it to peel