It is a solvent of the ketone family, volatile, inflammable, characteristic in odor and slightly toxic. In restoration, it is widely used to dissolve the cellulose nitrate that composes most varnishes, all of the soft resins (mastic, dammar) and oils. Due to its miscibility with almost all liquids (water, alcohol, ethers and ammonia), it is also utilized as an intermediary solvent, to render incompatible substances mixable.