FAQ
What compounds are Lab4Green products based on?
Our products are formulated with low environmental impact compounds, carefully selected to ensure safety for both the operator and the environment. Green Varnish Rescue and Wax Rescue are acetal-based formulations. Polar Rescue is an aqueous acetal-based solution. Copper Rescue and Iron Rescue are amino acid-based chelating solutions. DBE is a dimethyl succinate-free dibasic ester blend. Hydroligroin™ is an inverse water-in-oil emulsion of ligroin and water. Discover all the details in our Products section.
What can each product remove?
Wax Rescue: natural and synthetic waxes, paraffins, and nonpolar organic residues. Green Varnish Rescue: medium-polarity varnishes including Paraloid B72, unaged dammar, retouching varnishes, and PVA. Polar Rescue: aged natural varnishes including shellac, aged dammar, and mastic. DBE: aged acrylic coatings including Paraloid resins. Copper Rescue: copper(II) compounds and copper-induced staining from stone and metal surfaces. Iron Rescue: iron(III) staining from stone, plaster, and heritage surfaces. Hydroligroin™: waxes, aged oil varnishes, paraffins, and lipophilic deposits.
How should I apply Lab4Green solvent products?
Green Varnish Rescue can be applied by cotton swab, but gel application with Japanese tissue interleaving is recommended to reduce solvent penetration into porous substrates, control contact times, and facilitate application on vertical surfaces. Polar Rescue should always be applied in thickened or supported form. Wax Rescue can be applied directly by cotton swab or pad, with no time pressure due to its zero volatility. Hydroligroin™ is applied by cotton swab — shake before use to ensure emulsion homogeneity. DBE can be applied by cotton swab or with gel/poultice support systems.
How should I apply the chelating products?
Copper Rescue and Iron Rescue are aqueous solutions that can be applied by cotton swab for localised treatment, or by poultice/compress using Japanese tissue, cotton, sepiolite, or Arbocel. They are also compatible with physical hydrogels (agar, gellan gum, PVA-borax) and chemical gels (Carbopol, Pemulen).
Are Lab4Green products ready to use?
Yes. All products are supplied in liquid form, ready for immediate use. Solvent products can also be thickened by the end user before application for enhanced control.
Which thickeners can I use?
Green Varnish Rescue and Polar Rescue can be thickened with commonly used gelling agents, including hydroxypropyl cellulose (Klucel), xanthan gum, Vanzan, agar-agar, and gellan gum. Wax Rescue is compatible with Carbopol/Ethomeen solvent gels, Pemulen TR-2, High Acyl Gellan Gum (HAGG), and modified silicone thickeners (Velvesil Plus). It is not compatible with purely aqueous physical hydrogels (agar, agarose, low acyl gellan).
What are the recommended application times?
Application times vary depending on the condition of the artefact, the nature of the substrate, and the thickness of the layer to be removed. We recommend starting with thickened application for 15–30 seconds, then adjusting based on results. For zero-volatility products (Wax Rescue, Polar Rescue), there is no time pressure — the solvent remains active until physically removed.
At what temperatures can I use Lab4Green products?
Lab4Green products can be used across a wide temperature range. At elevated temperatures (above 35 °C), more volatile components may evaporate faster, slightly altering the polarity of the blend. In such cases, keep the container tightly closed when not in use. Hydroligroin™ should be stored at 5–35 °C.
Do I need to pre-treat the surface before application?
No pre-treatment is required. However, removing surface deposits beforehand is recommended to maximise the solvent’s cleaning efficacy.
How do I remove the product after treatment?
No neutralisation of the surface is required. For solvent products applied by swab, simply wipe with a clean dry cotton swab. When products are used in gel form, remove the gel residue with a clean dry swab or, if needed, with a solvent capable of dissolving the gel phase. For chelating products (Copper Rescue, Iron Rescue), wipe with a clean swab dampened with deionised water. Many Lab4Green products have low or zero volatility — a fundamentally different behaviour compared to fast-evaporating solvents traditionally used in conservation. Do not soak the swab completely. Instead, lightly dampen only a portion of the swab with the product. This prevents unnecessary over-saturation of both the layer to be removed and the underlying substrate, giving you better control over the cleaning action and avoiding excessive solvent penetration into porous materials.
Do I need personal protective equipment?
Lab4Green products offer a significantly improved safety profile compared to conventional solvents, especially when used in thickened form. However, standard precautions apply: always wear lab coats, nitrile gloves, and safety goggles when working with organic solvents. Consult the Safety Data Sheet for each product for specific PPE recommendations.
Do I need fume extraction during use?
Green Varnish Rescue has low volatility (evaporates in approximately 30 minutes at room temperature). Wax Rescue and Polar Rescue have zero volatility, virtually eliminating inhalation risk. DBE has near-zero vapour pressure. Hydroligroin™ reduces effective VOC emissions by over 60% compared to pure ligroin. Despite these improved profiles, adequate ventilation is always recommended and fume extraction systems should be used to further minimise any residual risk.
Can I request a custom formulation?
Custom formulation is one of Lab4Green’s exclusive services. If you need a green cleaning system with specific characteristics — tailored solubility parameters, volatility, or substrate compatibility — contact us through our form describing your requirements and conservation challenge.
Are Lab4Green products truly "green"?
Lab4Green products are designed to reduce environmental impact — not to eliminate it entirely. Through Life Cycle Assessment (LCA), we have quantified the environmental footprint of our formulations and demonstrated significant reductions across multiple impact categories compared to conventional alternatives. For example, Hydroligroin™ achieves over 30% overall reduction in environmental impact versus pure ligroin, with up to 62% reduction in photochemical ozone formation. However, “green” does not mean zero impact. Every chemical product carries an environmental footprint. What sets our approach apart is the commitment to measure it rigorously, reduce it where possible, and be transparent about it. Sustainability, as we define it, is not a property of materials — it is the result of a chemical, technical, and environmental evaluation.