Printers Choice Degreaser (1:3 Concentrate) – Professional Screen Mesh Degreaser for Screen Printing

Degrease Every Screen, Every Time — No Exceptions

Degreasing is required before every emulsion coating — not just on new screens. A freshly reclaimed screen still has cleaning chemical residues, skin oils from handling, and shop contaminants that will interfere with emulsion adhesion. No exceptions. Every screen. Every coat.

Every Screen, Every Time — No Exceptions

This is the most commonly skipped step in screen making. Degreasing is required before every emulsion coating — not just on new screens. A freshly reclaimed screen still carries residues from cleaning chemistry, emulsion remover, and haze remover. Any screen that has been handled by human hands carries skin oils. All of these contaminate the mesh surface and prevent emulsion from bonding properly. New screen, used screen, freshly reclaimed screen: degrease before every coat.

What Contamination Does to Emulsion

Mesh contamination is invisible to the eye but catastrophic to emulsion adhesion. Silicones, oils, and chemical residues create a film on the mesh fibers. When emulsion is applied over this film, it cannot bond to the fiber surface directly. The result: pinholes (where the emulsion pulls away from isolated fibers), fisheyes (circular areas of separation), uneven coating, and premature stencil breakdown on press. The degreaser eliminates this film, giving emulsion bare fiber to adhere to.

Works on All Mesh Types

Printers Choice Degreaser is safe and effective on polyester, nylon, and stainless steel mesh. These are the three mesh types used in professional screen printing. One product handles all mesh in your screen room.

1:3 Concentrate — 4x the Working Volume

This is a super-concentrated formula, not a ready-to-use product. Dilute 1 part concentrate with 3 parts water in a plastic container before applying. One quart makes one gallon of working solution. One gallon makes four gallons. The concentration makes this significantly more economical than ready-to-use alternatives at equivalent volume.

Removes Silicones and Oils That Standard Cleaning Misses

Standard screen wash and emulsion removers are not designed to remove silicone contamination. Silicone pallet adhesives, silicone softeners in garments, and silicone compounds in shop environments migrate to screen surfaces over time. Printers Choice Degreaser is specifically formulated to remove silicone-based contamination along with standard oils, dirt, and chemical residues.

Reduces Pinholes and Fisheyes

Pinholes and fisheyes are the two most common emulsion defects caused by mesh contamination. Pinholes appear where oil spots repel emulsion, leaving tiny uncoated areas. Fisheyes are circular separation marks caused by larger contamination spots. A properly degreased mesh eliminates both defects at their source, before emulsion is ever applied.

Improves Emulsion Adhesion and Stencil Life

Degreasing does more than just clean — it improves the wettability of the mesh surface. A clean, degreased mesh allows emulsion to flow evenly into and around the mesh fibers, creating a stronger mechanical bond. This directly extends stencil life on press — a properly degreased screen holds emulsion longer, produces sharper edges, and is less prone to premature breakdown.

Non-Hazardous and Drain Safe

Printers Choice Degreaser is non-hazardous. No special handling requirements, no hazmat shipping fees, no industrial ventilation needed. Safe for drain disposal under standard conditions — check local sanitation authority for specific requirements.

Dilution Ratio1:3

1 part + 3 parts water

Working Volume4x

Per gallon of concentrate

Mesh TypesPoly · Nylon · SS

All professional mesh types

HazmatNone ✔

Ships standard, all sizes

❌ What Goes Wrong Without Proper Degreasing

• Pinholes — oil spots repel emulsion, leaving tiny uncoated gaps
• Fisheyes — circular emulsion separation from larger contamination spots
• Premature stencil breakdown — emulsion peels mid-run on press
• Uneven coating — emulsion pools and thins around contamination
• Poor halftone reproduction — dot contamination causes bridging
• Wasted emulsion — screens that can’t hold a stencil get coated again

✅ Critical Application Rules

• Degrease every screen, every time before coating
• Use a nylon brush only — never woven scrub pads
• Rinse completely — degreaser residue causes fisheyes
• Do not touch mesh after degreasing — skin oil recontaminates
• Dry completely before applying emulsion
• Mix in a plastic container — not metal