Abstract: A contaminated article is subjected to vapor degreasing operations wherein the vapor degreasing solvent is a blend consisting essentially of methylene chloride and either 1,1,1-trichloroethane or trichloroethylene. Addition of methylene chloride to the solvent blend is found to stabilize the other component of the blend in the presence of contaminants encountered in the conventional vapor degreasing process; thus extending the normal life of the degreasing solvents.

Abstract: A contaminated article is subjected to vapor degreasing operations wherein the vapor degreasing solvent comprises a blend consisting essentially of perchlorethylene and trichlorethylene, wherein in the preferred embodiment, the perchlorethylene comprises about 81 volume percent of the degreasing solvent, while the trichlorethylene comprises the remaining 19 volume percent of the solvent blend.The solvent blend extends the normal life of perchlorethylene degreasing solvents alone, or in combination with stabilizers and the like, or, alternatively, allows the utilization of trichlorethylene at temperatures higher than those that would normally cause pyrolysis. The degreasing solvent blend not only extends the operational life of perchlorethylene-based vapor degreasing solvents, but also reduces the cost of conducting vapor degreasing operations.