Methylene Chloride

DCM"s volatility and ability to dissolve a wide range of organic compounds makes it a useful solvent for many chemical processes.^[8]

It is widely used as a paint stripper and a degreaser.^[11] In the food industry, it has been used to decaffeinate coffee and tea as well as to prepare extracts of hops and other flavorings.^[12] Its volatility has led to its use as an aerosol spray propellant and as a blowing agent for polyurethane foams

DCM chemically welds certain plastics. For example, it is used to seal the casing of electric meters. Often sold as a main component of plastic welding adhesives, it is also used extensively by model building hobbyists for joining plastic components together. It is commonly referred to as "Di-clo."

It is used in the garment printing industry for removal of heat-sealed garment transfers, and its volatility is exploited in novelty items: bubble lights and jukebox displays.

DCM is used in the material testing field of civil engineering; specifically it is used during the testing of bituminous materials as a solvent to separate the binder from the aggregate of an asphalt or macadam to allow the testing of the materials.