Patio & exterior
Lithofin OIL-EX Oil Stain Remover dupe
Why pay around £16.56 for Lithofin? The bulk active is Low-aromatic C9–C10 white spirit plus fuller’s earth poultice — 85% less per working litre than a typical shelf pack.
From the retail pack to the active and the mix
1 · Retail
Lithofin OIL-EX Oil Stain Remover
250 millilitres · £16.56 typical snapshot
Absorbent solids (paste / gel poultice)
2 · Active
C9–C10 hydrocarbons with d-limonene (solvent poultice)
62% on the label
64742-49-0C10H16 (limonene fraction)
Bulk Low-aromatic C9–C10 white spirit plus fuller’s earth poultice
3 · Mix
Neat poultice (~2 mm coat; ~0.5 m² per 250 ml)
£8.00 per working litre · 85% less than the shelf pack
- Active
- C9–C10 hydrocarbons with d-limonene (solvent poultice)
- CAS
- 64742-49-0
- Dupe
- Low-aromatic C9–C10 white spirit plus fuller’s earth poultice
- Saving
- 85% / L
Saving is per litre of working-strength mix versus a typical pack price, not versus the DIY kit total. Shop prices move — always check the listing.
Label teardown
What the pack promises versus what the label chemistry actually is.
The marketing claim
“Removes stubborn grease and deep oil staining from stone”
The chemical reality
Lithofin OIL-EX is a solvent poultice, not an alkaline degreaser. The GB SDS lists C9–C10 hydrocarbons (CAS 64742-49-0) at 60–65%, C9 aromatics (CAS 64742-95-6) at 15–20%, and d-limonene (CAS 5989-27-5) at 0.5–1% in an absorbent paste. It is not KilrockPRO metasilicate, not LTP Grimex TKPP, and not Solvex benzyl alcohol. Low-aromatic white spirit plus fuller’s earth is the same solvent-and-absorb job without the 250 ml tube tax.
Active vs filler
62% C9–C10 hydrocarbons with d-limonene (solvent poultice) · 38% carrier / filler — Absorbent solids (paste / gel poultice)
- Typical retail
- £16.56
- 250 millilitres
- Estimated active cost
- £1.25
- Scaled from bulk £16.00 / 2 litres solvent + 1 kg absorbent
- Indicative markup
- 13.2×
- Snapshot maths, not a live shop price
The Marketing Claim & The Catch
A 250 millilitres pack of Lithofin OIL-EX Oil Stain Remover typically retails around £16.56 in patio & exterior. That is a UK shelf-price snapshot for the maths on this page — not a live shop quote or a manufacturer RRP. Listings, sizes and deals move. The marketing line is that you are buying a finished lifestyle product, not a weighed chemical.
On the pack: Removes stubborn grease and deep oil staining from stone; Easy-to-apply gel — also lifts wax and silicone-joint halos; and Natural and engineered stone, concrete, garage thresholds.
The catch: Lithofin OIL-EX is a solvent poultice, not an alkaline degreaser. The GB SDS lists C9–C10 hydrocarbons (CAS 64742-49-0) at 60–65%, C9 aromatics (CAS 64742-95-6) at 15–20%, and d-limonene (CAS 5989-27-5) at 0.5–1% in an absorbent paste. It is not KilrockPRO metasilicate, not LTP Grimex TKPP, and not Solvex benzyl alcohol. Low-aromatic white spirit plus fuller’s earth is the same solvent-and-absorb job without the 250 ml tube tax.
- “Removes stubborn grease and deep oil staining from stone”
- “Easy-to-apply gel — also lifts wax and silicone-joint halos”
- “Natural and engineered stone, concrete, garage thresholds”
Proprietary Blend & Dosage Breakdown
The labelled active is C9–C10 hydrocarbons with d-limonene (solvent poultice) at 62%. Everything else in the pack is absorbent solids (paste / gel poultice).
Even when the pack is sold as “pure” or ready-to-use, the dose that actually does the work is C9–C10 hydrocarbons with d-limonene (solvent poultice). The rest is how they get it into a bottle you will pick up.
Branded working strength is whatever comes out of the bottle. The bulk alternative is 99% Low-aromatic C9–C10 white spirit plus fuller’s earth poultice, mixed to Neat poultice (~2 mm coat; ~0.5 m² per 250 ml).
- Labelled active
- C9–C10 hydrocarbons with d-limonene (solvent poultice)
- 62%
- Carrier
- Absorbent solids (paste / gel poultice)
- Retail pack
- 250 millilitres · £16.56
The Active Chemical Alternative (Dupe Stack)
The dupe stack is Low-aromatic C9–C10 white spirit plus fuller’s earth poultice at 99% bulk. Indexed as CAS 64742-49-0, formula C10H16 (limonene fraction). Buy it as 2 litres solvent + 1 kg absorbent for around £16.00 from Amazon UK.
Working strength: Neat poultice (~2 mm coat; ~0.5 m² per 250 ml). Indicative cost £8.00 per diluted litre — 85% below a typical branded pack on a per-litre basis, before you reuse leftover bulk.
Follow the mixing method and the supplier SDS. Wear the listed PPE. Do not mix incompatible oxidisers, acids or ammonia.
- Flammable solvent paste. Nitrile gloves, splash goggles, outdoor or very well-ventilated work. Keep off ignition sources, plastics, asphalt, paint and rubber. Aspiration hazard if swallowed — store locked. d-Limonene may sensitise skin (EUH208 on the branded tube).
- Scrape loose oil. Mix a thick paste of low-aromatic / dearomatised white spirit (C9–C12 hydrocarbon, SDS-matched) with fuller’s earth or diatomaceous earth until spreadable — about two parts solvent to one part powder by volume.
- Trowel a 2 mm coat onto dry stone. Cover with film if it dries too fast. Dwell about 12 hours. Brush off the spent powder; wet-vac. Repeat on a deep stain. Then wash with a metasilicate or TKPP degreaser and rinse before resealing.
- 2 L of solvent plus 1 kg of earth makes more poultice than six 250 ml tubes. Coverage is about 2 m² per working litre at a 2 mm coat — the branded tube quotes about 0.5 m².
- Never mix the solvent with bleach, acids or alkaline concentrate in one bucket. This is not a walk-away patio biocide and not brick acid.
Dilution recipe
0.25 L working batch
Working strength Neat poultice (~2 mm coat; ~0.5 m² per 250 ml). Educational estimate from the listed ratio — check the SDS before you mix.
Chemical
250 millilitres
Low-aromatic C9–C10 white spirit plus fuller’s earth poultice
Water
0 litres
Carrier / diluent
100% concentrate · 0% water by working volume (solids are dissolved into the water share).
Required PPE
Loading calculator…
Side-by-Side Price & Potency Comparison
Head-to-head comparison
| Measure | Retail brandedLithofin | Raw active dupeDupeStack |
|---|---|---|
| Product | OIL-EX Oil Stain RemoverAmazon UK search — listing, not a confirmed seller | Low-aromatic C9–C10 white spirit plus fuller’s earth poultice |
| Pack / unit | 250 millilitres · £16.56 | 2 litres solvent + 1 kg absorbent · £16.00 |
| Active | C9–C10 hydrocarbons with d-limonene (solvent poultice) at 62%Carrier: Absorbent solids (paste / gel poultice) | 99% bulkC10H16 (limonene fraction) |
| CAS number | Not disclosed on pack | 64742-49-0 |
| Working strength | Ready-to-use pack | Dilute Neat poultice (~2 mm coat; ~0.5 m² per 250 ml) |
| Cost per litre | £66.24 / L typical pack | £8.00 / L mixed from bulk |
| Headline saving | Baseline | 85% cheaper |
| COSHH / PPE | Follow the branded SDS | Gloves. Chemical-resistant gloves (nitrile or neoprene)Eye protection. Indirect-vent splash goggles — not ordinary spectaclesVentilation. Use outdoors or with mechanical extraction |
Active ingredient and cheaper alternative — FAQ
Is this the same as KilrockPRO or LTP Grimex?
No. KilrockPRO is disodium metasilicate (CAS 6834-92-0) — an alkaline builder for oily concrete you scrub and rinse. Grimex is TKPP (CAS 7320-34-5) with glycol ether. OIL-EX is a hydrocarbon / citrus solvent poultice that dissolves oil then soaks it into a powder you brush off. Different job, different PPE, never mixed in one bucket.
Is this the same as LTP Solvex?
Related solvent family, different molecule. Solvex is benzyl alcohol (CAS 100-51-6) for wax and acrylic sealers. OIL-EX is C9–C10 hydrocarbons plus a little d-limonene for deep oil in stone. Do not treat them as drop-in swaps.
How do you mix the OIL-EX Oil Stain Remover dupe stack?
Flammable solvent paste. Nitrile gloves, splash goggles, outdoor or very well-ventilated work. Keep off ignition sources, plastics, asphalt, paint and rubber. Aspiration hazard if swallowed — store locked. d-Limonene may sensitise skin (EUH208 on the branded tube). Scrape loose oil. Mix a thick paste of low-aromatic / dearomatised white spirit (C9–C12 hydrocarbon, SDS-matched) with fuller’s earth or diatomaceous earth until spreadable — about two parts solvent to one part powder by volume. Trowel a 2 mm coat onto dry stone. Cover with film if it dries too fast. Dwell about 12 hours. Brush off the spent powder; wet-vac. Repeat on a deep stain. Then wash with a metasilicate or TKPP degreaser and rinse before resealing. 2 L of solvent plus 1 kg of earth makes more poultice than six 250 ml tubes. Coverage is about 2 m² per working litre at a 2 mm coat — the branded tube quotes about 0.5 m². Never mix the solvent with bleach, acids or alkaline concentrate in one bucket. This is not a walk-away patio biocide and not brick acid.
DupeStack provides chemical concentration data and educational mixing guides only. Wellness pages compare food supplements, not medicines or prescribed treatments. Always review the supplier Safety Data Sheet (SDS) and comply with UK Health and Safety Executive (HSE) and COSHH regulations when handling concentrated substances. Mixing and storage are at your own risk. Some links are affiliate advertisements (Amazon Associates, eBay Partner Network, and Awin when those programmes are live). Commissions do not change listed concentrations or calculator output.
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Indicative DIY stack