Toluene is a common ingredient in degreasers. It’s a colorless liquid with a sweet smell and taste. It evaporates quickly. Toluene is found naturally in crude oil, and is used in oil refining and the manufacturing of paints, lacquers, explosives (TNT) and glues. Toluene is a great solvent because other chemicals dissolve in it easily, especially other organic compounds. This makes it a common chemical in organic laboratories. Toluene is a very good solvent because, unlike water, it can dissolve many organic compounds. In many commercial products, toluene is used as a solvent that is present in paint thinners, nail polish remover, glues, and correction fluid