White spirit, also known as mineral spirits, mineral turpentine, turpentine substitute, and petroleum spirits, is a clear, flammable, and colorless liquid. It is a mixture of aliphatic, open-chain or alicyclic C7 to C12 hydrocarbons, and is insoluble in water. White spirit is a commonly used solvent in painting, and is used as an extraction solvent, cleaning solvent, degreasing solvent, and solvent in aerosols, paints, wood preservatives, lacquers, varnishes, and asphalt products. It is widely used as a paint thinner or solvent in general oil painting, and is also used to clean auto parts and tools, paint brushes after use, to remove adhesive residue from non-porous surfaces, as a starter fluid for charcoal grills, and many other common tasks. White spirit is also used in industry as a solvent for cleaning, degreasing, and substance extraction. It is important to note that white spirit is different from turpentine, which is made from natural resin extracted from trees, while white spirit is made from petroleum distillate. White spirit is not the same as methylated spirit, which is commonly known as denatured alcohol.