Before Synthetic Solvents, There Was Turpentine

By Ken Fry, Terps USA Research — sourced from Terps USA Research

Short answer

Turpentine, a volatile mixture of terpenes distilled from pine resin, was a workshop and shipyard staple for generations before synthetic solvents existed — used to degrease machinery, strip grime from metal, and even as a starting material for early organic chemistry. Terpenes were doing serious chemical work long before anyone named the chemistry behind it.

The chemistry existed before the vocabulary

The cleaning power of plant terpenes was understood and exploited well before anyone had the chemical vocabulary to explain why it worked. Turpentine was a staple of pre-industrial and early-industrial labor for exactly that reason.

What it actually did in the workshop

Turpentine was historically employed as a cleaner and degreaser for machinery and tools. Its strong solvent properties made it effective at removing oils, grease, and tough residues from metal and mechanical parts, and it was in common use across shipyards, factories, and other operations to maintain equipment. It played a dual role — the same solvent action that thinned paints and varnishes also stripped grime from metal, which is part of what made it indispensable.

It wasn't just a cleaner — it was a chemistry feedstock

Turpentine's importance extended past cleaning into early organic chemistry itself. Through the 19th century, it served as a starting material for synthesizing compounds like camphor, and its terpene content made it a valued resource for the organic chemistry research of the period.

The point worth taking from this

Terpenes were dissolving, degreasing, and reacting generations before the modern solvent industry existed at all. That's not a footnote — it's the starting point for understanding why terpene chemistry keeps resurfacing as a cleaning solution across a century of industrial history.

FAQ

What was turpentine historically used for in cleaning?

Turpentine, a volatile mixture of terpenes distilled from pine resin, was historically used as a cleaner and degreaser for machinery and tools, removing oils, grease, and tough residues from metal and mechanical parts in shipyards, factories, and other industrial operations.

Was turpentine used for anything besides cleaning?

Yes. Through the 19th century, turpentine served as a starting material for synthesizing compounds such as camphor, making it a valued resource for organic chemistry research of that period, in addition to its role as an industrial degreaser.

Why does turpentine work as a degreaser?

Turpentine is a mixture of terpenes, which are nonpolar hydrocarbons. Nonpolar solvents dissolve nonpolar substances like oils, greases, and resins effectively where water cannot, which is the same chemical principle that explains turpentine's historical use cutting grease in workshops.

Sources

1. Fry, K. (2026). "The Cleaning Tradition of Terpenes." Terps USA Research. DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.21246521

2. Historical Turpentine Uses, Gum Spirits of Turpentine.

This article is for informational and industry education purposes only. Terps USA products do not contain THC or CBD. These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA. Readers are encouraged to consult the cited primary sources directly.