With the peanut oil/xylene step to deparaffinize, is a substitute clearing agent like histoclear acceptable?

Secondly, just for my knowledge, what purpose does the peanut oil serve, to simply maintain the structure of the organisms? 

Finally, if I didn't have sulfuric acid to differentiate, would acetic acid or HCl in water work, I figure they're too strong?

Thanks, 
curt