Compendium of Over the Counter Chemicals
thewanderer
Regular
The purpose of this thread is to list easily obtainable chemicals and the general areas that they can be found. Please refrain from using actual brand names and instead describe the chemical's purpose. At the moment, everything here is for the US. Feel free to add information for other countries.
Acetic Acid - Clear vinegar is 5% acetic acid
Acetone - Pure acetone can be bought in hardware stores/Walmarts. Find it near the other solvents or near paint.
Acetylene - Welding supplier.
Acetylsalicylic Acid - Aspirin
Aluminum - Aluminum foil
Ammonium Hydroxide - Household clear ammonia. Don't get the sudsy shit.
Ammonium Nitrate - Instant cold packs. Read the label to confirm.
Boric Acid - I've seen 99% boric acid used as roach killer. Look for it at your local Walgreens/pharmacy.
Butane - Sold as fuel for micro torches at hardware stores.
Carbonic Acid - Seltzer water
Carbon - Charcoal, activated charcoal
Carbon Dioxide - Can be bought in solid form as dry ice.
Calcium Chloride - Rock salt used on roads.
Calcium Hypochlorite - Pool shock; bleaching powder.
Calcium Sulfate - Plaster of Paris found at art suppliers.
Citric Acid - Can be bought as a food additive where supplements are sold. Possibly at supermarkets.
Copper Sulfate - Root killer sold at hardware stores 99%. Easy to tell because it's bright blue crystals.
Ethyl Alcohol (Ethanol) - Sold with solvents at hardware stores as denatured alcohol; Everclear is 95% ethanol.
Ferric Chloride - Buy it at Radio Shack as etching fluid.
Ferrocerium - Firesteel; lighter flints.
Helium - Welding supplier.
Hexamine (methenamine) - Sold as solid fuel tablets in camping stores.
Hydrochloric Acid - Sold as muriatic acid at hardware store or as a pH reducer with the same name at pool supply stores.
Hydrogen - Welding supplier.
Hydrogen Peroxide - Get it anywhere (3%), as hair bleach (6-9%) or find a health food store that sells food grade hydrogen peroxide (35%)
Iron(III) Oxide - Rust
Isopropyl Alcohol (Isopropanol) - Rubbing alcohol.
Lead - Can be bought as lead shot from or sinkers sporting goods stores
Lithium - Can be obtained in strips from the inside of batteries specifically marked as Li batteries.
Magnesium - Fire starter blocks for camping.
Magnesium Sulfate - Epsom Salt
Methane - Natural Gas
Methyl Alcohol (Methanol) - Has the common name "Wood Alcohol". Find it at paint stores
Naptha - Get it as 'VM&P Naptha" at hardware stores or as camping fuel sold as "white gas"
Oxygen - Welding supplier
Potassium Chlorate - Can be extracted from safety matches
Potassium Chloride - Sold as "sodium-free salt", a table salt alternative, at supermarkets and health food stores.
Potassium Nitrate - Sold as stump remover. Check labels to confirm ingredient.
Potassium Permanganate - Water purifier sold at pet stores. Not sure about the purity of this one.
Propane - Buy it at the gas station.
Sodium Bicarbonate - Baking soda
Sodium Bisulfate - Sold as dry acid for reducing pH at pool supply stores.
Sodium Carbonate - Sold at pool supply stores for raising pH.
Sodium Chloride - Table salt (if you didn't know already, you're in the wrong thread, srsly.)
Sodium Hydroxide - Soap makers sell it as lye or caustic soda. Also sold as crystal drain opener, get the professional grade and check the label.
Sodium Hypochlorite - Household bleach.
Sodium Nitrate - Also used as a stump remover, check labels. Is also used in making pottery.
Sucrose - Sugar
Sulfur - At gardening stores as sulfur dust or sulfur flour
Sulfuric Acid - Professional grade drain opener is 90-96% depending on the brand. The stuff you want will have the bottle sealed in a heavy plastic bag.
Toluene - Found with other solvent in some hardware stores.
Tungsten - Light bulb filaments.
Xylene - Found with other solvents in some hardware stores.
This is a growing list. Feel free to contribute.
Acetic Acid - Clear vinegar is 5% acetic acid
Acetone - Pure acetone can be bought in hardware stores/Walmarts. Find it near the other solvents or near paint.
Acetylene - Welding supplier.
Acetylsalicylic Acid - Aspirin
Aluminum - Aluminum foil
Ammonium Hydroxide - Household clear ammonia. Don't get the sudsy shit.
Ammonium Nitrate - Instant cold packs. Read the label to confirm.
Boric Acid - I've seen 99% boric acid used as roach killer. Look for it at your local Walgreens/pharmacy.
Butane - Sold as fuel for micro torches at hardware stores.
Carbonic Acid - Seltzer water
Carbon - Charcoal, activated charcoal
Carbon Dioxide - Can be bought in solid form as dry ice.
Calcium Chloride - Rock salt used on roads.
Calcium Hypochlorite - Pool shock; bleaching powder.
Calcium Sulfate - Plaster of Paris found at art suppliers.
Citric Acid - Can be bought as a food additive where supplements are sold. Possibly at supermarkets.
Copper Sulfate - Root killer sold at hardware stores 99%. Easy to tell because it's bright blue crystals.
Ethyl Alcohol (Ethanol) - Sold with solvents at hardware stores as denatured alcohol; Everclear is 95% ethanol.
Ferric Chloride - Buy it at Radio Shack as etching fluid.
Ferrocerium - Firesteel; lighter flints.
Helium - Welding supplier.
Hexamine (methenamine) - Sold as solid fuel tablets in camping stores.
Hydrochloric Acid - Sold as muriatic acid at hardware store or as a pH reducer with the same name at pool supply stores.
Hydrogen - Welding supplier.
Hydrogen Peroxide - Get it anywhere (3%), as hair bleach (6-9%) or find a health food store that sells food grade hydrogen peroxide (35%)
Iron(III) Oxide - Rust
Isopropyl Alcohol (Isopropanol) - Rubbing alcohol.
Lead - Can be bought as lead shot from or sinkers sporting goods stores
Lithium - Can be obtained in strips from the inside of batteries specifically marked as Li batteries.
Magnesium - Fire starter blocks for camping.
Magnesium Sulfate - Epsom Salt
Methane - Natural Gas
Methyl Alcohol (Methanol) - Has the common name "Wood Alcohol". Find it at paint stores
Naptha - Get it as 'VM&P Naptha" at hardware stores or as camping fuel sold as "white gas"
Oxygen - Welding supplier
Potassium Chlorate - Can be extracted from safety matches
Potassium Chloride - Sold as "sodium-free salt", a table salt alternative, at supermarkets and health food stores.
Potassium Nitrate - Sold as stump remover. Check labels to confirm ingredient.
Potassium Permanganate - Water purifier sold at pet stores. Not sure about the purity of this one.
Propane - Buy it at the gas station.
Sodium Bicarbonate - Baking soda
Sodium Bisulfate - Sold as dry acid for reducing pH at pool supply stores.
Sodium Carbonate - Sold at pool supply stores for raising pH.
Sodium Chloride - Table salt (if you didn't know already, you're in the wrong thread, srsly.)
Sodium Hydroxide - Soap makers sell it as lye or caustic soda. Also sold as crystal drain opener, get the professional grade and check the label.
Sodium Hypochlorite - Household bleach.
Sodium Nitrate - Also used as a stump remover, check labels. Is also used in making pottery.
Sucrose - Sugar
Sulfur - At gardening stores as sulfur dust or sulfur flour
Sulfuric Acid - Professional grade drain opener is 90-96% depending on the brand. The stuff you want will have the bottle sealed in a heavy plastic bag.
Toluene - Found with other solvent in some hardware stores.
Tungsten - Light bulb filaments.
Xylene - Found with other solvents in some hardware stores.
This is a growing list. Feel free to contribute.