Rubbing Alcohol Uses: Ideas For Using The All-Purpose Household Cleaner

From Networx's Chaya Kurtz:

I discovered the wonders of rubbing alcohol as a cleaning agent myself, when I tried using an alcohol pad to remove the label from a glass jar. You know the sticky goo that is left over when you remove the paper label from a glass jar? I found that rubbing alcohol took it off with minimal elbow grease.

Although it's not perfect for every cleaning job (hello, washing dishes), rubbing alcohol is a fairly cheap and relatively environmentally-friendly solution to some tough cleaning challenges. Most people keep a bottle of it in the bathroom, and if you don't it would behoove you to keep a bottle of rubbing alcohol in stock for cleaning tasks. One of its more attractive attributes is how fast rubbing alcohol evaporates. Although it has that initial "hospital" smell, rubbing alcohol evaporates quickly and does not leave a lingering odor, unlike vinegar. It is also suitable for cleaning surfaces that cannot be cleaned with acids, such as granite counter tops.

Although rubbing alcohol off gasses quickly, prolonged exposure to isopropyl alcohol fumes is not recommended. Bear in mind that it's not drinkable, and should be stored out of reach of children. Also, do not use rubbing alcohol to clean near open flames or near extreme heat; it's flammable. With all that said, here are ten ways to use rubbing alcohol around the house.

List and captions courtesy of Networx