Bulk solvent looks cheap.
Until you account for everything else.
What you pay per litre is not the real cost.
Where the Cost Actually Sits
Bulk solvent comes with hidden losses:
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Spillage during use
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Evaporation over time
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Over-application (no control)
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Contaminated rags and waste
You’re not using what you buy.
You’re losing a portion of it every day.
Handling and Compliance Costs
Solvent use brings extra requirements:
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Storage and handling procedures
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PPE
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Ventilation
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Hazardous waste disposal
These aren’t optional.
They add cost and admin.
Labour Impact
Solvent cleaning is rarely one-step.
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Spray or soak
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Wipe with rag
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Repeat to remove residue
That’s time.
Multiply that across a team and a week.
It adds up fast.
What Happens with Rags
Rags make it worse:
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Reused across jobs
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Spread contamination
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Hold excess solvent
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Create disposal issues
You’re combining two uncontrolled variables.
That’s where consistency breaks down.
How Wipes Change the Equation
Pre-saturated wipes shift the model:
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Fixed dose per wipe
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No spillage or evaporation loss
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Single-step cleaning in most cases
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No bulk solvent handling
You pay per unit used.
Not per litre wasted.
Real Comparison
Solvent + rags:
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Lower upfront cost
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High waste
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More Labour
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Compliance overhead
Wipes:
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Higher unit cost
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Controlled usage
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Faster cleaning
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Lower overall handling cost
The cheaper option on paper often costs more in practice.
What to Look At
Don’t compare product price alone.
Look at:
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Time per clean
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Waste generated
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Rework required
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Disposal costs
That’s your real number.
Simple Rule
If you can’t track how much solvent is used per job,
you don’t know what it’s costing you.
Start Using Systems.