What is Rubbing Alcohol ?

[Richie]

Originally Posted by kcowgergmm

i know regular isopropyl alcohol works a s a good cleaner we use it on aircraft to clean parts all the time.

It's not know as super clean is it? I'll ask some of the RAF lads today...

Cheers everyone for the help.

Isopropyl alcohol is rubbing alcohol. Surgical wipes contain the same stuff.

Just to clarify;

Methylated spirits is ethanol (common question in the lab: is meths methanol or ethanol?). Othernames for isopropyl alcohol are propan-2-ol. methylated spirits (meths) would clean up stuff nicely, you can get that in a hardware shop

Matt

Problem with meths is that it leaves a residue. ISP alcohol doesn't.

Like alpinestarhero says, meths is ethanol, but deliberately contaminated with methanol which is highly poisonous, carcinogenic even. Ethanol is drinking alcohol but 100%, whereas "spirits" are about 40%. The methanol is added to stop you drinking the "spirit", hence 'methylated spirits'.

I definitely wouldn't use nail varnish remover as it is acetone and will dissolve plastic.

meths also has loadsa other crap in it, hence the blue colour, which is probably the source of the residue scoobs? When the alcohol has evaporated?

I just read it on a bottle in wilkinsons today, so figured that was the reason.

Matt

Dammit, a topic I know a bit about and the question has already been answered.
I have a 5l canister of anhydrous (or very nearly, anyway) isopropyl alcohol under my sink.

The reason for meths, is as said, so you don't drink it, otherwise we'd have to pay absurd amounts of duty. Not sure what the percentage is on 100% by volume (not that ethanol can be 100% by volume once exposed to air)

what is rubbing alcohol?

hmm....not sure - is it the same as polishing off your beer?!?! badoom-ching!

sorry.....where's me coat? taxiiiiiiiii!