When it comes to home supplies, a wide majority of them consist of dangerous chemicals. Therefore, we should take the labels and instructions seriously. For sure, no one wants to use an expired cleaning product on any fabric and materials in the house.
We should check the expiration dates from time to time. For example, have you ever checked – does rubbing alcohol expire? This is a substance which expiration date you should absolutely not neglect.
If you want to be responsible for your home supplies and correctly use them, rubbing alcohol in this case, you should definitely continue reading this article. We will explain everything that you need to know.
Is There A Due Date?
Isopropyl alcohol, also known as “rubbing alcohol“, is a powerful and colorless substance used in all kinds of cleaning expeditions.
It is a major component in household cleaning items: cleaners, hand sanitizers, and sometimes even pharmaceuticals. It usually comes in the form of a spray.
This substance is very effective in treating bacteria, viruses, and fungi.
The real question is, for how long can you use it, and is there a particular date from which it is not “good” anymore?
Yes, there is.
When it comes to alcohol, it is very hard to determine its expiration date because of its evaporation after a certain period of time. However, if you use your alcohol correctly and pay attention to what it says on the back of the bottle, you are safe.
A regular bottle of rubbing alcohol can last up to 2-3 years after the date on which it was manufactured.
This is the best-case scenario because preventing some air from coming in is really hard.
The Two Types
For those who might not have known this, there are two types of rubbing alcohol:
- Isopropyl alcohol – this alcohol consists of isopropyl alcohol and isopropanol in water.
- Ethyl alcohol – this one consists of denatured ethyl alcohol or ethanol mixed with water.
In the UK, this type of alcohol goes by the name “surgical spirit” because it is mainly used for medical purposes.
No matter the origins, you should be aware of its toxic and flammable nature.
What Do I Use It For?
Like it was mentioned earlier, rubbing alcohol has many purposes around the house, and it is an adequate cleaning supply.
The three major fields it is used in are medical practices, home health, and household cleaning.
Medical Practices
| Antiseptic | In this case, rubbing alcohol kills bacteria and fungi. |
| Postoperative nausea | Smelling rubbing alcohol on a soaked cotton pad relieves postoperative nausea. |
| Sirface disifectant | Rubbing alcohol is used to disinfect various items like scissors or thermometers. |
Home Health
| Astrigent | This type of alcohol contained in some products can help your pores and refresh your skin. |
| Deodorant | Rubbing alcohol is contained in your regular deodorant. |
| Evaporating water from the ear | Mixing rubbing alcohol with white vinegar can help get the water from the pool out of your ears. |
| Shapeable ice packs | Your ice packs can be shaped thanks to rubbing alcohol quickly. |
| Liniment for muscle aches | If your muscles are aching from a hard workout, you can soak some rubbing alcohol and apply it to the area – your skin will soak it in after a couple of minutes. |
Household Cleaning
| Cleaning blinds | With the right wash-cloth soaked in rubbing alcohol and spatula, you can make your blinds spotless. |
| Cleaning makeup brushes | This is a very famous and common substance used for thorough cleaning of makeup brushes. |
| Cleaning sinks and chromes | Rubbing alcohol is perfect for cleaning your sinks and chromes from time to time. |
| Removing hairspray from mirrors and tile | You can get rid of that sticky hairspray from mirrors with a little help of rubbing alcohol. |
| Disinfecting mouse and keyboard | Our computer equipment should be cleaned regularly, and there is no better way to get rid of all that dirt than with rubbing alcohol. |
| Cleaning jewelry | Rings, bracelets, and earrings are delicate possessions, and you should clean them in that matter as well – wipe them occasionally with rubbing alcohol. |
| Refresing kitchen sponges | If you don’t want to buy new sponges at the moment, you can always refresh and clean them by soaking them in a bowl of rubbing alcohol. |
Although there are many things you can use this for, there are also some situations in which you should not include rubbing alcohol under any circumstances.
Let’s quickly go through them:
- Restrain from using rubbing alcohol on your skin if you have problems with acne.
- Some parents use this alcohol for a cooling sensation when their kids have a fever. You should never do this – it can be incredibly toxic.
- Although this alcohol is a strong substance that can easily kill lice, it can also burn your scalp.
Rubbing Alcohol vs. Hydrogen Peroxide
Both rubbing alcohol and hydrogen peroxide can be considered as cleaning supplies.
However, when it comes to which one does a better job, opinions differ.
Let’s take a look at some arguments.
Rubbing alcohol contains from 60 to 80% of dissolved alcohol in water. The concentration in this alcohol is above 70%, and some even claim that it can kill coronavirus.
On the other hand, hydrogen peroxide is not so much alcohol as it is water because it contains two oxygen molecules – making it a strong oxidizer.
This substance contains only 3% of hydrogen peroxide dissolved in water. With this chemical composition, it is gentle enough to be freely used on your skin.
So, what’s better?
For killing germs, bacteria, and fungi – you should definitely opt for rubbing alcohol.
However, both of these can be used with small wounds and scars – just be careful.
The Danger Of Poisoning
Sure, this alcohol is very effective and helpful in many instances, but it is just as harmful if you don’t know how to handle it.
Accidents happen all the time, and people can become intoxicated by this substance.
The most common symptoms are:
- Stomach pain.
- Confusion.
- Dizziness.
- Slowed breathing.
- Rapid heart rate.
- Throat pain.
- Nausea.
- Vomiting.
In the worst-case scenario, too much of this alcohol in your organism can lead to a coma.
How to prevent this?
The first thing you should do, of course, is going straight to the doctor.
The most probable solutions for this problem would be:
- Dialysis – removal of alcohol from the blood.
- Fluid replacement – if you are dehydrated
- Oxygen therapy – removing alcohol through the lungs.
Storage & Disposal
To protect yourself and your children from intoxicating themselves with this dangerous substance, keep the cleaning supplies, rubbing alcohol, acetone and other paint thinners out of reach.
Keep your rubbing alcohol tightly closed in a dry and cool area.
Because of its strong chemical composition, it should be separated from any inflammable substances.
When the time comes to dispose of this alcohol, you should first check with your local environmental control regulations for safety reasons.
Does Rubbing Alcohol Expire – Conclusion
Rubbing alcohol, also known as “rubbing alcohol,” is a powerful and colorless substance used in all kinds of cleaning expeditions. The real question is, for how long can you use it, and is there a particular date from which it is not “good” anymore?
A regular bottle of rubbing alcohol can last up to 2-3 years after the date on which it was manufactured. This is the best-case scenario because preventing some air from coming is really hard.
There are two types of rubbing alcohol: isopropyl and ethyl. In the UK, this alcohol is called “surgical spirit” because of its wide use for medical purposes.
The three major fields it is used in are medical practices, home health, and household cleaning. Smelling rubbing alcohol on a soaked cotton pad relieves postoperative nausea. Rubbing alcohol is used to disinfect various items like scissors or thermometers. This is a very famous and common substance used for thorough cleaning makeup brushes. Our computer equipment should be cleaned regularly, and there is no better way to get rid of all that dirt than with rubbing alcohol.
For killing germs, bacteria, and fungi – you should definitely opt for rubbing alcohol instead of hydrogen peroxide. However, both of these can be used with small wounds and scars – just be careful.
Accidents happen all the time, and people can become intoxicated by this substance. The most common symptoms are: stomach pain, confusion, dizziness, slowed breathing, rapid heart rate, throat pain, nausea, and vomiting. You can solve this problem by dialysis or fluid removal.
Keep your rubbing alcohol in a cool and dry place, away from your kids and other inflammable substances and when the time comes to dispose of thisl, the first thing you should do is check with your local environmental control regulations for safety reasons.
