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I'm preparing crown molding for painting. The molding is pre-primed with pine core. I hand-sanded the molding and vacuumed to remove as much dust as possible. The surface still has dust, and I'm not sure what's the best way to remove it. If the pieces were flat I'd use a tack cloth and be done with it, but the molding is "fancy" and using a tack cloth to clean the profile will be tedious and time-consuming, also, I don't want wax residue ending up in corners and hard to clean areas.

If I'm using an oil-based primer (Benjamin Moore Enamel 217), can I clean the surface with denatured alcohol instead of a tack cloth? I suppose mineral spirits would work too but the alcohol dries much faster.

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    While I can not comment knowledgeably on the denatured alcohol my own thoughts are that it will be fine. I know you don't want wax in the crevices and Tack Cloth has beeswax in it. I thought if you could tack up a sponge with a beeswax by impregnating it a little bit that might help you get to the fine nooks and crannies. Using a high quality paint brush to brush the dust out is another option but it will be tedious.
    – Ken
    Commented Mar 19, 2018 at 6:22
  • I like the sponge idea! Thx
    – raffian
    Commented Mar 19, 2018 at 12:14
  • Is blowing it off with compressed air not an option? Also, a little dust shouldn't noticeably affect the finish on something like crown molding that no one will ever get very close to.
    – JPhi1618
    Commented Mar 19, 2018 at 14:17
  • Compressed air is good for loose dust, I'm trying to remove dust normally removed by tack cloth.
    – raffian
    Commented Mar 19, 2018 at 18:40

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Denatured alcohol will be fine to use it will dry quickly and will be fine for any type of paint once dried.

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  • You saying once I paint it I can not use denatured alcohol to clean it again?
    – raffian
    Commented Mar 19, 2018 at 18:38
  • Ment to say it will be fine for any kind of paint solvent or water based but got intrupted and did not finish the thought.
    – Ed Beal
    Commented Mar 19, 2018 at 18:43

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