Hi,
I have severe asthma and a sensitivity to any Turp or mineral spirit based solvent that makes me immediately seriously ill when exposed. When I started oil painting I found about 10 different mediums and solvents 75% off at my local art supply store. Bonanza!
As I tried those products, many of which said, “non-toxic”, and other such terms of endearment, I learned a lot, quickly. I’d never used turps before so I learned that I cannot tolerate them.
I discovered that OMS and similar volatile compounds are pervasive in many odorless/all natural/safe products. For example, Gamsol claims non-solvent safety but it actually contains a version of an oms based solvent. I could list brands, but that would wear us all out, lol. Many dollars and inhalers after beginning my love affair with oil paint, I finally found something to use as a thinner that is safe for me and my family that is also effective. Citrasolve! It is made from d-limonene, a chemical derived from orange peels. It is very concentrated, a drop goes a long way. It does have an odor, smells like…yup, oranges. However, it has never made my airway swell and close. It is marketed as a cleaner and it will clean most anything. I have mixed it with walnut, poppy, linseed, and safflower oils and it thins them all down to whatever consistency and drying time I need. It may not be the solution for everyone, but it has really saved me and enabled me to paint as much as I want. My studio is in my home, so that’s really saying something.
My only issue has been that it eats away at the rubber stoppers of the syringes I use to hold and dispense my medium /solvent mixtures. It takes a few months, but the higher concentrations will turn rubber to liquid. On the brighter side of that, it cleans the heck out of my palettes, the stove, broiler pans, plastisol screen printing ink, general gunk, etc.
I hope someone finds this helpful. I found out about it on another forum and I’m so glad! Again, It may not be for everyone but it’s worth a shot.