https://www.dmt-nexus.me...aspx?g=posts&t=31398

Oh good it looks like I can ask my question right here! Alright, so... I guess my question is Can you reuse solvents when washing?

I was reading the above link and thought to myself. If you use a solvent to extract, then use the same solvent to wash, and keep everything, why would you need to distill your solvent? Im confused about the difference between extraction and washing. I know that you keep different parts depending which youre doing. But Im not sure which parts contain the solvent in the wash procedure or what you do when you keep the 'other' liquid. I read a few words but cant use them properly.

Also how come nobody uses methanol? Do you have to have a license to get it? It seems like you would get a purer crystal from stronger solvents like methanol, right? as opposed to naphtha/lye? Well, thats my general knowledge of it from teks.

Thanks!

methanol is a polar solvent

Methanol is most definitely NOT a good solvent for defat since it also dissolves alkaloids in their salt forms, you would be losing a lot of product.

And methanol would not yield purer crystals because it dissolves impurities too well, so you'd get more impure product.

The only reasonable way to use methanol IMO is if you do a first crude methanol soak to basified dried plant material, like a 'dry tek', evap that, and proceed to purify. But anyways I'd avoid that because you would need too much of it and its toxic to work with. Better use ethanol in the same way instead. Or just do a normal STB or A/B with naphtha or limonene or whatever.

Please be careful since methanol vapors are toxic, and getting it on your skin too. Definitely better use other solvents

And do read the FAQ and wiki for more info and understanding about the extraction processes