A buyer's guide to white spirit for paint thinning, brush and spray gun cleaning and metal degreasing in Oman, with our part numbers, properties, safe handling and how to order from Barka.
If your paint shop or workshop in Muscat needs a solvent for thinning solvent-based paint, cleaning spray guns and degreasing metal parts, white spirit is the standard choice, and we supply it from stock in Oman. Our White Spirit, part number RXSOL-20-2105-210, is a clear, water-white hydrocarbon solvent with a boiling range which typically lies between 150°C and 220°C, and it is primarily used in the paint, degreasing, metal and lubricants industries. We take bulk and small orders from Barka Industrial Area.
What white spirit is and why paint shops use it
White spirit is also sold as mineral spirits, mineral turpentine, turpentine substitute or Stoddard solvent. It is a petroleum-derived clear liquid, a mixture of aliphatic and alicyclic hydrocarbons obtained from the distillation of crude oil. Our grades consist of complex hydrocarbon mixtures obtained by hydro-treating a petroleum cut, and the blends contain paraffins, cycloparaffins and aromatic hydrocarbons.
Workshops keep reordering it because of the balance between solvent power and evaporation. RXSOL-20-2105-210 combines good solvent power with an average evaporation rate, so it dissolves grease, oil and many types of paint while giving the painter or fitter time to work before it evaporates.
White spirit is practically insoluble in water but miscible in most organic solvents. That tells you where it fits: solvent-based alkyd and oil-based paints, enamels, varnishes and primers. It is the wrong product for water-based emulsion paint, which you thin and clean with water.
Common jobs in a paint shop or workshop
White spirit typically goes into a short list of daily jobs:
- Thinning solvent-based paint, enamel and varnish to brushing or spraying viscosity.
- Cleaning brushes, rollers, spray guns and paint pots after solvent-based coatings.
- Degreasing steel parts, panels and fabricated items before priming.
- Removing oil, grease and light residue from tools, machine parts and workbenches.
- Wiping and flushing in lubricant handling and metalworking.
We do not publish a single thinning ratio, because the right amount depends on the coating. Follow the thinning instructions on the paint manufacturer's data sheet, add the solvent slowly while stirring, and check the result on a test panel before you thin a full batch. For degreasing, wipe or brush the part, let the solvent evaporate fully in a ventilated area, then prime.
How to handle white spirit safely in your shop
White spirit is a flammable liquid. Grades of this type are generally classed under GHS as flammable and as an aspiration hazard if swallowed, and the vapour can cause drowsiness or dizziness in a closed room. Read the hazard statements on the MSDS for the exact part number you buy and keep a copy at the point of use.
The product data gives you some practical points. The solvent has a detectable characteristic odour when concentrations approach 1 ppm (parts per million), so a smell in the shop tells you vapour is present and ventilation needs checking. It is stable and does not corrode standard metals, but it may react with strong oxidants, so store it away from oxidising chemicals.
- Work with good ventilation or extraction, and keep sparks, open flames, grinding and hot work away from the solvent area.
- Wear chemical-resistant gloves and safety glasses. Prolonged skin contact dries and irritates the skin.
- Keep containers closed when not in use and store them in a cool, shaded place or a metal solvent cabinet, out of direct Omani sun.
- Earth and bond metal containers when you decant from drums.
- Collect used solvent and soaked rags in closed containers and dispose of them through a licensed waste contractor, in line with Environment Authority and Civil Defence requirements for your site.
Which grade and part number to order
We list several white spirit and mineral spirit part numbers. The table below is built from our product data for RXSOL-20-2105-210, which is the grade most paint and workshop buyers start with.
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Part number | RXSOL-20-2105-210 |
| Application | Paint, degreasing, metal and lubricants industries; cleaning, thinning paint and degreasing surfaces |
| Composition | Complex hydrocarbon mixtures obtained by hydro-treating a petroleum cut; paraffins, cycloparaffins and aromatic hydrocarbons |
| Boiling range | Typically between 150°C and 220°C |
| Appearance | Clear, water-white, low-viscosity liquid with a mild odour |
| Solubility | Practically insoluble in water, miscible in most organic solvents |
| Stability | Chemically stable, does not corrode standard metals, may react with strong oxidants |
| CAS / EC / Index No. | 64742-82-1 / 919-446-0 / 649-330-00-2 |
| MSDS | On request |
Other part numbers on this site include White Spirit RXSOL-20-2105-005 and RXSOL-20-2105-215, RXSOL WS (RXSOL-20-2105-020) and Mineral spirit (RXSOL-20-2105-001). Tell us the job and the monthly quantity, and we will help you choose the matching part number.
Where white spirit is used across Oman
In Muscat, typical users are car body and paint shops, steel fabrication workshops, joinery and furniture finishers, and maintenance teams at hotels, towers and facilities from Ruwi to Al Rusayl. Contractors use it for touch-up painting and for cleaning equipment between coats on site.
Outside the capital, demand comes from fabrication yards and plants in Sohar, port and marine maintenance at Duqm, and workshops in Nizwa and Salalah. For buyers in the north, our sister site lists the same mineral spirit on the Sohar Chemical site, and Dhofar buyers can see mineral spirit on the Salalah Chemical site.
White spirit also has a place in tank and equipment cleaning, where it lifts oil and grease from metal. If that is your application, our tank cleaner dosage, application and safety guide covers the products built for that work.
Stock and ordering from Barka
We hold ready stock of white spirit in Oman and handle both bulk and small orders, so a single workshop and a fabrication yard can buy from the same source. Contact us for packing and delivery details for the part number you need, and tell us how you store and decant solvent on site.
Where to buy white spirit in Muscat and Oman
Muscat Chemical (Muscat & Barka for Business Trading), Barka Industrial Area, Sultanate of Oman. Phone +968 77333599, WhatsApp +968 77333599, email muscatchem@gmail.com. Send the part number or the job, the quantity and your delivery location in Muscat or elsewhere in Oman, and we reply with a quote. You can also use our quote request form.
Frequently asked questions
Is white spirit the same as mineral spirits or turpentine?
White spirit, mineral spirits, mineral turpentine, turpentine substitute and Stoddard solvent are names for the same family of petroleum-derived hydrocarbon solvents. Genuine turpentine is a different product distilled from pine resin.
Can I thin water-based paint with white spirit?
No. White spirit is practically insoluble in water, so it suits solvent-based alkyd and oil-based paints, enamels and varnishes. Thin and clean water-based paint with water.
How much white spirit should I add to paint?
Use the ratio on the paint manufacturer's data sheet, since it changes from one coating to another. Add the solvent slowly while stirring and test on a panel before thinning the full batch.
Do you supply small quantities as well as bulk?
Yes. We hold ready stock in Oman and take both bulk and small orders.
Do you provide an MSDS for white spirit?
An MSDS is available for each part number. Contact us with the part number you need.
To order white spirit for your paint shop or workshop, request a quote on WhatsApp at +968 77333599 with the part number, quantity and delivery location.
Frequently asked questions
Is white spirit the same as mineral spirits or turpentine?
White spirit, mineral spirits, mineral turpentine, turpentine substitute and Stoddard solvent are names for the same family of petroleum-derived hydrocarbon solvents. Genuine turpentine is a different product distilled from pine resin.
Can I thin water-based paint with white spirit?
No. White spirit is practically insoluble in water, so it suits solvent-based alkyd and oil-based paints, enamels and varnishes. Thin and clean water-based paint with water.
How much white spirit should I add to paint?
Use the ratio on the paint manufacturer's data sheet, since it changes from one coating to another. Add the solvent slowly while stirring and test on a panel before thinning the full batch.
Do you supply small quantities as well as bulk?
Yes. We hold ready stock in Oman and take both bulk and small orders.
Do you provide an MSDS for white spirit?
An MSDS is available for each part number. Contact us with the part number you need.