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CarCareTruth

Methyl Salicylate

  • Esters
  • CAS 119-36-8
  • IUPAC: methyl 2-hydroxybenzoate

Methyl Salicylate (CAS 119-36-8) appears in 3 of the 2,122 car-care products CarCareTruth tracks (as of August 2026). It is classified as a VOC.

Reproductive toxin Cat 1B (H360 — may damage fertility or the unborn child) at <1% concentration in mixture. Causes serious eye damage (H318) in pure form. Acute oral LD50 887 mg/kg rat — moderately toxic if ingested. The wintergreen/mint odor of PB Blaster is primarily from this ingredient.

Methyl salicylate is the ester of methanol and salicylic acid, responsible for the characteristic wintergreen scent of many penetrating oils including PB Blaster. It occurs naturally in some plants but is commercially synthesized for use as a fragrance, flavoring, and rubefacient.

In penetrating oil formulations it serves primarily as a fragrance component, but methyl salicylate also has mild corrosion-inhibiting properties. At the <1% concentrations used in PB Blaster, the reproductive toxin classification (H360, Repr. 1B) in SDS §2 is product-level — driven by this ingredient's classification — and makes the product's signal word DANGER.

At trace concentrations in end-use products, the acute risk from normal application is low, but the H360 classification is what it is. Users who are pregnant or trying to conceive should be aware of this classification and may prefer a product without methyl salicylate.

Health & environment profile

VOC
yes
Prop 65 listed
no
Asthmagen
no
EPA Safer Choice
no
Aquatic toxicity
yes
Biodegradable
no
Bioaccumulative
no
Persistent
no
Ozone depleting
no
Microplastic
no
PFAS
no
Env. score
3/5
Purpose: Fragrance component, corrosion inhibitor aid

Common questions about Methyl Salicylate

What is Methyl Salicylate used for in car care?
Fragrance component, corrosion inhibitor aid
Is Methyl Salicylate a VOC?
Yes. Methyl Salicylate is classified as a volatile organic compound (VOC).
Is Methyl Salicylate on California's Proposition 65 list?
No. Methyl Salicylate is not on California's Proposition 65 list.

3 products contain this

Related

Health and environment notes translate the manufacturer Safety Data Sheet, the GHS classification, and authoritative regulatory listings (California Prop 65, EPA). Not medical advice. They describe the ingredient itself; whether a hazard applies to a finished product depends on its concentration and how it's used.