Alternative Uses of Rubbing Alcohol

Rubbing alcohol is a preparation of 97.5% concentrated or 100% pure ethanol or isopropanol in water. The chemical formula of rubbing alcohol is C3H8O. It is absolutely undrinkable as it can cause poisoning, if ingested. It is inflammable and widely used in the medical world to disinfect skin and surgical equipment.

When applied on skin, rubbing alcohol has a cooling effect. It causes dilation of blood vessels and evaporates quickly. Its alcohol concentration may vary from 68% to 99%. Rubbing alcohol or isopropyl alcohol is denatured with additive poisonous chemicals that render it unfit for drinking.

So, rubbing alcohol or IPA is not taxed heavily and, hence, is available at a cheaper rate. You may have been traditionally using it in your households as an antibacterial cleaning agent for tables, kitchen slabs, floors, thermometers and kids' toys. It's also often used to disinfect wounds, cuts or bruises after washing with soap.

Did you know that your laptops, personal computers, screen, printer heads, magnetic tapes, Mp3 players and especially your cell phones, carry a lot of germs and bacteria on their surface. This is because they may be dusted but not disinfected regularly. This makes them a favorable breeding ground for germs.

If you are getting acne only on one side of your cheek and it is the side you use to talk over the phone, it is because the bacteria on your phone get transferred on to your skin and cause break outs. You can dab some IPA on a cotton bud and use it to clean the surface of your cell phones, keyboards and mouse.

Follow-up with aloe Vera gel. Use this cheap astringent once or twice a week for normal skin and thrice a week for oily skin. It helps reduce oiliness and take off dirt from the skin's surface. Do not overuse and do not use for prolonged periods else it can cause severe irritation, cracks and flakiness. Always do a patch test to check for skin sensitivity.

Did you know? Feet of lean people become longer during the day, while obese people have a widening effect on their feet. It is said that IPA can help you increase your shoe size. Apply a thin coating on your shoes and inside the soles and let them work the magic.

This is a secret used by wrestlers to get rid of excess water weight before a match. You will lose almost 4 pounds overnight.

The outcome of the highlights' color depends upon your natural hair color. This method is best suited for dirty blondes. Do apply generous quantities of a conditioner or a heavy-duty oil like coconut oil, olive oil or avocado oil, later.

Dip your comb in rubbing alcohol each time you use it through your hair. Or you can simply apply some to your hair and let it sit for 20 minutes. The results are instant.

Studies suggest that when rubbing alcohol was used to wash apples, it reduced the percentage of bacteria present on the skin of the fruits to as less as 5%. Spraying rubbing alcohol also helps prevent fruit flies.

If excessive itching due to insect bite has caused lesions on your skin, dab a little on it to dry it out. You don't even have to really wait for a bump after you have been bitten by an insect. Just apply some rubbing alcohol on that area. Also, you can use it to cure infection caused by piercings.

When applied to a swollen patch on your skin, IPA can help soothe and reduce it a bit. It is a rubefacient and will bring blood to that area to reduce the blue-black spots on the skin. Or, you may also use it to make an ice-pack in the ratio of 1:3 with water. It will prevent absolute solidification of water, making it slushy and more bearable on skin.

To remove grim residue and bring shine back to lamps, candles, metal fixtures such as door-knobs and taps, clean them with rubbing alcohol.

Apart from cleaning the candle stand, IPA can also be used to wipe the dust off the candles which is otherwise difficult due to the waxy texture. Your candles will look as good as new.

An alternative use is to remove ticks from your cat or dog's coat. Ticks hate alcohol and will immediately loosen their grip from the skin. Use tweezers to pull them out. This is a less painful and safe method to remove ticks without bacterial infection.

You can use IPA to sterilize your Swiss knife, scissors, kitchen knives, chopping board and razors to prevent infection.

To remove the price stickers off utensils and clothes without leaving the sticky glue on them, pour some rubbing alcohol on the tag and let it sit for 10 minutes. Rubbing alcohol is a dis-solvent and will peel tags off easily.

Mix a tablespoon of fragrant oil with half a cup of rubbing alcohol and spray in your rooms for a long-lasting scent.

You can apply rubbing alcohol to your palms if they stink after chopping onions or garlic. It removes the odor just like a sanitize.

Most of you probably are unaware that your bottle of rubbing alcohol can also help you to cure dandruff, often in less than 3 uses. For this treatment, use 3% hydrogen peroxide and directly apply it on scalp. Leave it on for 20 minutes.

Since hydrogen peroxide can be drying, I would recommend that you use coconut oil after sometime without the need of washing the liquid chemical first. After about an hour, wash with your normal shampoo. Repeat until dandruff is gone. A bottle will cost you only a dollar which is way cheaper as compared to expensive anti-dandruff solutions.

If you have trouble breathing at night, while sleeping, try adding a few drops of hydrogen peroxide to distilled water in the humidifier. Your respiratory problems, such as emphysema, will improve considerably.

Other uses of rubbing alcohol include cleaning the sticky grim and dust off chimneys and blinds. Dip cleaning cloth in IPA and wipe off the dusty area.

You can easily get your bottle from the chemist's shop. Make sure you keep it away from children as they may ingest it. Drinking this stuff can cause blindness, nausea, severe headaches, ulcers, giddiness, drowsiness and may lead to coma.

Also keep it away from fire-place, gas burner and other sources of fire as it is easily inflammable and can start a fire. Always remember to keep your bottle of IPA away from natural dyes, painted surfaces and lacquer or pearl-finishes. It is known to strip oil and moisture.

Please Note: Daily intake of hydrogen peroxide MUST NOT EXCEED 10%. Else, neurological complications may arise along with other health problems.