I got some Stans spilled on a pair of shorts. Is there any way to dissolve latex?

I would imagine that a fair few organic solvents would dissolve latex. How easily you can get hold of them is a different story – I’d try maybe nail varnish remover (Butyl or ethyl acetate…scraping the barrel here… 😕 ) or maybe acetone, or longer chain alkanes…e.g. Hexane or Octane. Hell, try petrol if you have some. That’s what my mum always did.

EDIT: Aren’t there stories of organic lubricants dissolving condoms? Which is why you’re always supposed to use water based ones.

RE-EDIT: I did really used to be a chemist once. 🙂

All I can remember is that soap scum is C17H35COONa.

Does that help?

Natural latex (which is what I assume is in stans) is not one simple molecule that you can easily predict solubility for. Latex will dissolve in some things – but many of those things would remove colour (or damage the fabric!) of the shorts. They are also likely to be expensive to get your hands on unless you have a sneaky supply – in which case you probably wouldn’t be asking here!

If they were very important or valuable shorts I’d take them to the dry cleaners.

Have you looked on the web molgrips?

The suggestions seem to be isopropyl alcohol or hairspray…

Leave ’em be – the “jizzy rascal” look is bang on trend currently molgrips

Any decent dry cleaner will be able to sort it for you, they have lists of all the usual stains and the appropriate solvents.

Hmmmm, Stans you say, in/on your shorts you say… Now then Moly, Mrs Moly will be very angry when she finds out what you’ve been up to (again) 🙂