"SteveB" writes:

I got some parts I need to clean. I have gas and acetone, and a quart or so
of mineral spirits.

What's a good solvent for cleaning the exterior of carburetors, engine
parts, etc, in a sink or tub with a parts brush that won't eat your brain
out or blow you up? I have heard kerosene. Let me ask the dumb question,
where do you buy kerosene? I would think Ace or Home Depot, as they sell
the kerosene heaters. Is that right? And is kerosene a good cleaner?

I'm a big fan of mineral spirits, which are commonly sold as paint
thinner. They are virtually the same thing as kerosene (I haven't
actually checked which one is cheaper). I typically get parts as
clean as I can with mineral spirits, and then finish the job with
brake cleaner spray. You will want to wear nitrile gloves for this.