Sunnyside Corporation Sunnyside 70532 Pure Odorless Paint Thinner, Quart

Why I reached for an odorless thinner

I keep a small roster of solvents on the shelf, but traditional mineral spirits often pushes me outdoors or into the garage. I wanted something I could safely use for indoor brush cleaning, light degreasing, and occasional thinning of oil-based coatings without turning the space into a fume chamber. Sunnyside’s odorless thinner in the quart size fit that brief, so I put it through several weeks of real-world tasks: thinning alkyd enamel and oil-based varnish, cleaning and conditioning brushes used for both house paint and fine art oils, removing a stubborn oil-based stain on carpet, and degreasing metal parts in the shop.

Odor and indoor comfort

“Odorless” in solvents usually means highly refined, low-aromatic mineral spirits—lower odor, not magically zero emissions. With this thinner, in a typical bedroom-sized space with a window cracked open, I caught only a faint, neutral mineral note right over the container, and essentially nothing from a couple of feet away. That holds especially true during brush cleaning in a closed jar. The moment you mix any thinner into paint or varnish, you’ll smell the coating itself more than the solvent; that’s normal. Even then, the ambient smell stayed soft and non-intrusive.

Bottom line: it’s genuinely low-odor and comfortable to use indoors with basic ventilation. If you’re extremely sensitive, test in a small setup first, but for most home and studio work this is a significant improvement over standard paint thinner.

Thinning performance

I trialed it with two common scenarios:

• Oil-based enamel on trim: I started with a modest 5% addition by volume. The paint leveled better, brush drag decreased, and edge work felt more controlled. Dry time extended slightly—think a gentle nudge, not a full stop—consistent with a more refined, slower-evaporating solvent. I didn’t see any color shift or loss of gloss. Bumping to about 10% further improved flow on door panels but increased the risk of sags. My advice: start low, thin incrementally, and test on a sample or the back of a door.
• Oil-based varnish: A small addition helped with leveling on a tabletop finish without fisheyes or clouding. Again, dry time extended a bit. If you’re chasing a glass-smooth finish, the trade-off favors this thinner.

It is not a “hot” solvent; don’t expect lacquer-thinner aggression. That’s a plus for controlled flow but means it won’t bite into tough cured films when you need heavy stripping.

Brush cleaning and tool care

Brush cleanup is where this thinner earned its keep. For fresh or partially dried oil-based paints, a three-step routine worked best:

1) Work the bristles in a small amount of clean thinner, massaging from ferrule to tip.
2) Comb the bristles, then repeat with fresh thinner.
3) Finish with soap and warm water, then a final rinse and a bit of brush conditioner.

Fully cured paint won’t magically dissolve after an overnight soak; this isn’t a stripper. But for brushes left sitting too long, a soak-and-comb cycle softened residues enough that the soap stage could finish the job. Importantly, bristles dried soft and springy rather than crunchy—a good sign the solvent is effective without leaching the brush to death. For artists’ brushes used with oil colors, it behaves comparably to pricier artist-grade odorless mineral spirits, with similarly mild smell and sensible evaporation.

Pro tip: decant used thinner into a sealing jar and let the solids settle. You can pour off the clear top layer and keep using it, cutting waste and cost.

Degreasing and spot cleanup

On metal parts and oily shop residue, it cuts grease decisively and flashes off clean. I used it to remove oily fingerprints before finishing and to clear machining oils prior to bonding. For soft surfaces like carpet, the key is patience: apply a small amount to a white cloth, blot from the outside in, and rotate to clean areas of the cloth. Avoid flooding. I lifted an oil-based stain from a low-pile carpet without smearing, and the room didn’t retain an odor afterward. Always test a hidden area first, as solvents can affect dyes or backings.

Avoid plastics and delicate finishes unless you’ve tested; refined mineral spirits are gentler than many solvents, but caution beats regret.

What it is—and what it isn’t

• Do use it with oil-based paints, primers, varnishes, and stains.
• Don’t use it with latex or other water-based coatings; it won’t mix, and you’ll make a mess.
• Don’t substitute it for lacquer thinner or alcohol for shellac; it’s a different tool.
• It’s a solvent, not a stripper. For fully cured coatings, expect slow persuasion, not instant results.

Packaging and usability

The quart size is practical for a small shop or studio. The child-resistant cap was stubborn the first time—common with solvent containers that have built a bit of pressure during shipping. Pushing down firmly and using a pair of pliers for leverage solved it, and subsequent openings were routine. The container seals tight, which helps keep the low-odor character intact between uses.

If you clean a lot of brushes, consider a brush-washer setup with a grid and lid to minimize exposure and extend the life of your solvent.

Safety and compliance

Low odor doesn’t mean low risk. It’s still flammable and still a VOC-emitting solvent.

• Work with ventilation, even if the smell seems negligible.
• Wear nitrile gloves; it’s easy on the nose but can be rough on skin with prolonged contact.
• Keep away from ignition sources, and store sealed, upright, and cool.
• Dispose of used solvent and soaked rags according to local regulations; never pour down a drain. Solvent-soaked rags can self-heat—use a sealed metal container for storage before disposal.
• Note that availability is restricted in some VOC-regulated regions; don’t expect to find it everywhere.

Value

Compared with generic paint thinner, the price per quart is higher. Compared with artist-grade odorless mineral spirits, it’s typically more affordable while performing on par for brush cleaning and fine finishing. If you mostly work outdoors or don’t mind strong odors, standard mineral spirits remain the budget pick. If you prefer to work indoors or share space with people sensitive to fumes, the premium for low odor and refined behavior is easy to justify.

Because it’s milder than harsh solvents, you’ll use more elbow grease on heavy cleanup. But for routine thinning and brush care, you’ll stretch a quart a long way by reusing settled solvent.

Practical tips for best results

• Thinning: Start at 5% by volume, mix well, and adjust. Watch for sags on vertical surfaces.
• Brush care: Two quick rinses in fresh solvent beat one long soak. Always finish with soap and water.
• Reuse: Let used solvent settle in a labeled jar and decant the clear layer to a clean container.
• Indoor work: A small fan in a window to create light negative pressure keeps odor nearly nonexistent.
• Spot cleaning: Blot, don’t rub; use minimal solvent and clean cloths to avoid spreading stains.

The verdict

I recommend Sunnyside’s odorless thinner for anyone who needs a truly low-odor, indoor-friendly solvent for oil-based coatings and routine cleanup. It thins enamels and varnishes predictably, improves leveling, keeps brushes in great shape, and doubles as a competent degreaser—all while keeping the workspace comfortable. It won’t replace hot solvents for aggressive stripping, and it’s not compatible with water-based paints. Availability restrictions in VOC-regulated areas and the occasional stubborn first opening are minor drawbacks. For most home shops, studios, and indoor paint jobs where odor control matters, this thinner earns a spot on the shelf.