Rubbing alcohol is a liquid that is rich in ethanol. It is a great source of killing bacteria and pests. Rubbing alcohol is used in hospitals and homes on a daily basis. Follow this article and know more about what is rubbing alcohol used for and what happens if you drink rubbing alcohol.
Rubbing alcohol is a solvent that is widely used in hospitals and in homes. It is a safe to use solvent that can help you kill bacteria and pests. It kills bacterias and pests with its concentration level. Different rubbing alcohols have different concentration levels, some have 70% concentration, some have 80%, and some have 90% concentration level. According to research, the best rubbing alcohol is with 70% concentration levels. It has more water in it which helps the alcohol to get dissolved easily.
It is believed that rubbing alcohol with 80% and 90% concentration levels does not work as efficiently as they are supposed to. Although it is pretty obvious that a person will never consume rubbing alcohol, if you drink rubbing alcohol then, it can lead to organ damage and internal bleeding. This can be extremely dangerous for you.
Follow this article and know more about what is rubbing alcohol used for and what happens if you drink rubbing alcohol.
Table of Contents
What is rubbing alcohol used for?
There are many things for which rubbing alcohol is used. Some of the most common uses of rubbing alcohol are briefly described below.
- Bathroom tools
- To clean your devices
- Armpits
- Hand sanitizer
- To treat injuries
- Kitchen appliances
- To clean jewelry
- Defrosting of windshield
- To get rid of plant pests
- Eases nausea after surgery
- Treats swollen gums
- Removes ink stains
Bathroom tools:
Rubbing alcohol is a great source for keeping our bathroom tools clean like scissors, razors, and thermometers. It can help disinfect them and you can also use rubbing alcohol to clean your bathroom floor and tiles. It will give it a nice polishing touch and your bathroom will look new. Rubbing alcohol can also be used to scrub your brushes and sponges that you use to clean the sink and toilet.
To clean your devices:
You can use rubbing alcohol to polish your devices like your television screens, your mobile phones, your remote, your keyboards, your mouse, and your other tech devices. You can use the alcohol pads to clean your devices and disinfect all the germs and bacteria from your devices. When you are using rubbing alcohol for your tech devices then, it is best to use rubbing alcohol that has 90% of concentration levels.
Armpits:
To kill bacteria that can cause your armpits to stink, you can use alcohol wipes. This will disinfect the bacteria from your armpits and help you stay away from the smell. But it is supreme that you never use rubbing alcohol on your armpits after you are done shaving them. It will cause a stinging sensation.
Hand sanitizer:
With the aid of rubbing alcohol, you can make your own hand sanitizer. You have to mix rubbing alcohol with aloe vera gel and essential oil of your liking. Mix it until it is completely blended. Make sure that your hands are cleansed properly and the utensils that you are using are also clean and there is no dirt otherwise, everything will be infected with germs and bacteria.
To treat injuries:
To treat injuries and scrapes on knees and elbows, you can use rubbing alcohol. You can use the wipes or the alcohol pads to disinfect the injury. You can also put rubbing alcohol on a piece of clean cloth, if you do not have alcohol pads or wipes. You will be able to cease the bacteria from infecting the skin.
Kitchen appliances:
Rubbing alcohol can also be used to cleanse your kitchen appliances. Your stove, your stainless steel pots, and to disinfect the knives and spoons of your kitchen. You can use rubbing alcohol with a concentration of 80%. It will kill away all the bacteria from your kitchen without making your kitchen look rough.
To clean jewelry:
Cleaning your jewelry can be very tough for you. You are afraid that it might lose its shine if you clean it. But it is also supreme to have your jewelry cleaned otherwise, it will be infected with germs and bacteria. To avoid that you can use rubbing alcohol to disinfect any sort of bacteria from your jewelry, this way you will be free to wear your jewelry without having this fear of being infected with some bacteria. You can use rubbing alcohol with 90% concentration, this way the shine of your jewelry will remain the same and you will also disinfect the bacteria.
Defrosting of windshield:
People living in areas with heavy snowfall have nothing to worry about. When the snowfall is so heavy that it gets stuck on your windshield and the scraper is not doing an efficient job then, you can use rubbing alcohol. Pour rubbing alcohol on your windshield, it will not freeze when met with ice because of its internal temperature. It will melt the ice and evaporate without freezing. You can also mix water with rubbing alcohol to avoid damaging the glass of your windshield because of its concentration.
To get rid of plant pests:
Every plant can get infected with pests like crawlers, mealy bugs, aphids, and white flies. These pests can damage your plant and reduce its growth. To avoid that, you can use rubbing alcohol to get rid of these pests. You can use rubbing alcohol with 90% concentration and dab cotton in it and then, use it on the plants. Never pour rubbing alcohol directly on the plants, this can damage the internal cells of the plant and cause it to be dead. Dabbing lightly will kill the pests and bacteria from the plant and make it look new and healthy.
Eases nausea after surgery:
One of the most ordinary side effects of surgery is to feel nauseated and sick. It happens because of the anesthesia and other medications you are given. Inhaling rubbing alcohol or using alcohol pads can ease your nausea than all the medications you are taking for it. Although the effect of rubbing alcohol is short, it can still work as a good substitute for someone who is feeling extremely nauseated after having their surgery.
Treat swollen gums:
When you are not brushing your teeth accurately or you are flossing your teeth then, your gums can get swollen. To cure that, you can rinse your mouth with 3% of rubbing alcohol mixed with water. This way the concentration will become extremely low and it will not hurt your mouth. You have to rinse your mouth for about thirty seconds before you spit it out.
Removes ink stains:
We all know that ink stains can be extremely tough to remove. Even if you manage to remove some of it, you will be unable to make it completely clean like before. When this happens, you can always use rubbing alcohol to remove the ink stains. Cover the ink stain with a cloth that has been dampened in rubbing alcohol. It will start soaking the ink, you have to keep changing the side of the cloth.
What are the disadvantages of rubbing alcohol?
We know why rubbing alcohol is used, but there are many disadvantages of rubbing alcohol as well. Following are the cons of rubbing alcohol.
- Reaction with bleach
- Damages wood and leather
- Does not kill bacterial spores
- Does not bring down fever
- Irritation in throat
Reaction with bleach:
Never mix rubbing alcohol with bleach. You might think that since rubbing alcohol can clean almost everything, you can mix it with bleach and use it for cleaning purposes, you are wrong. It will have a dangerous reaction, it will form a gas that can dangerously affect your lungs, your eyes, and your throat. It will be like a chlorine gas exposure.
Damages wood and leather:
Rubbing alcohol is not friendly with wood and leather. It will make the surface rough and take away all the shine from your wood furniture when you use rubbing alcohol to clean it. Also, rubbing alcohol will also cause severe damage to leather, it will damage the material and it will appear rough. over time, it will tear the leather apart, damaging it to a great extent.
Does not kill bacterial spores:
Although rubbing alcohol is a good source for disinfecting bacteria from a surface. But it will not be able to cease the bacterial spores. Bacterial spores are places where some of the bacteria will be able to survive thus, rubbing alcohol will not be able to get rid of the bacteria completely as the spores will give birth to more bacteria over time.
Does not bring down fever:
There are many people who may use rubbing alcohol to bring down fever. It is supreme that you understand that rubbing alcohol will never bring down fever. People might use it as a source to provide a cooling sensation but you have to know that rubbing alcohol on your skin will make it sting and have an allergic reaction. It will not bring your fever down, it will only make things worse for you.
Irritation in throat:
Another disadvantage of rubbing alcohol is irritation in the throat and eyes. People use rubbing alcohol for inhaling purposes after surgery, this way they will feel less nauseated and sick. Although it may work, after a while, it will start burning your nose, throat, eyes, and lungs. You will feel irritated and you will feel a stinging sensation in your throat.
What happens if you drink rubbing alcohol?
It is extremely dangerous to consume rubbing alcohol. It can cause severe damage to your internal organs. Following are the things that can happen to you if you drink rubbing alcohol.
- Vomiting
- Low blood pressure
- Internal bleeding
- Headache
- Sedation
- Abdominal pain
- Respiratory failure
- Organ damage
- Coma
- Death
Vomiting:
When you drink rubbing alcohol then, you will feel nauseated and you will start vomiting. The vomiting will happen because of the concentration in the alcohol. We all are aware that rubbing alcohol is a solvent used for cleaning the household and hospital appliances so, drinking it will immediately make you feel sick and you will need medical attention.
Low blood pressure:
Drinking rubbing alcohol can cause you to have low blood pressure. Your heart rate will eventually go down, your brain will be unable to work properly, and your central nervous system will be highly affected. Making your blood pressure drop a significant amount. It is always a right idea to seek help from a healthcare professional immediately.
Internal bleeding:
Drinking rubbing alcohol can also cause you to have internal bleeding. Your blood vessels will be damaged and this can also become a cause for organ failure. You will feel dizzy, nauseated, and your blood pressure will start to go down. Internal bleeding can also be the cause of a person’s death.
Headache:
The internal bleeding, low blood pressure, and vomiting will also give you a headache. This headache will be much more severe than any normal headache. You will feel in such a way that your head is going to split into two. This can also cause nerve damage in your brain and damage to the blood vessels in your brain.
Sedation:
When a person drinks rubbing alcohol then, they will feel as if they have been sedated. They will not be able to stand properly, their speech will be slurred, and they will be dizzy. Slowly their brain will start to rest and they will start losing their consciousness.
Abdominal pain:
Drinking rubbing alcohol can cause extreme abdominal pain. You will feel like all of your organs are twisting from the inside. You will experience severe abdominal cramps, this will also cause your small intestine to start bleeding. It is vital to receive help from a healthcare professional before it gets too late.
Respiratory failure:
Rubbing alcohol can also cause respiratory failure in a person. It will make it tough for a person to breathe because of all the pain in the abdomen and brain. The low blood pressure will cause a person to have a low heart rate as well, this will cause a person to have trouble breathing. Their lungs will not be able to give the required amount of oxygen causing your respiratory system to slow down and eventually stop.
Organ damage:
Drinking rubbing alcohol can also cause your internal organs to become impaired. Your organs will stop functioning causing them to bleed internally, especially your small intestine. The structure of your organs will start to change and it cannot maintain its performance anymore. It starts to shut down causing your body to lose its consciousness.
Coma:
When you are suffering from organ damage, respiratory failure, and internal bleeding then, there is a chance you will fall into a coma. Your brain will have a stroke because of the impairment in the central nervous system, causing your body to shut down. There is no guarantee of time, you might wake up from a coma in a few days or you might stay there for a long period of time.
Death:
After respiratory failure, organ damage, and internal bleeding there is a probability that your body will not be able to take it anymore. Your brain will shut down, your central nervous system will also stop working, and you will go into a cardiac arrest causing a person to die.
Conclusion:
Rubbing alcohol is a solvent that is enriched with ethanol. It is a great source for killing bacteria and germs. It is used worldwide for different reasons. People use it to clean household equipment, doctors use it to sterilize their tools, and they also use it to reduce nausea. With all of these privileges there are some cons as well. For example, rubbing alcohol can damage your skin, leather, wood, and it can cause irritation in the throat and eyes. Aside from these disadvantages, rubbing alcohol can also cause terrible damage to a person if they drink it.
It can cause them to have organ damage, liver failure, respiratory failure, vomiting, abdominal pain, low blood pressure, sedation, coma, and death. Drinking rubbing alcohol will eventually cost a person their life when their organs will start to bleed internally and their brain will stop working. It is never a clever idea to leave the bottle of rubbing alcohol lying around in your home when you have children present. It can cause terrible damage to you and your family.
