During your visits to the industrial cleaners shop or departmental store, you would have come across different types of rubbing alcohol and isopropyl alcohol bottles. Rubbing alcohol and isopropyl alcohol can’t be used interchangeably. There are some differences between the two.
These days everyone wants to be aware of what they are consuming and what ingredients a particular item has. People are becoming more interested in what ingredients make up the disinfectants, cleaners, or hand sanitizers that they commonly use. Many shopkeepers worldwide keep isopropyl alcohol and rubbing alcohol without any explanation of the difference between the two.
Many people think that rubbing alcohol and isopropyl alcohol are the same, which is not the case. This blog post highlights the difference between the two and their uses. Continue reading to find out the difference between rubbing alcohol and isopropyl alcohol.
Are Rubbing Alcohol And Isopropyl Alcohol The Same?
The answer is no. Isopropyl alcohol and rubbing alcohol are not the same. Rubbing alcohol consists of isopropyl alcohol and some water. Sometimes it contains other additional ingredients. On the other hand, isopropyl alcohol is pure alcohol with little to no water and other ingredients.
Rubbing alcohol and isopropyl alcohol might have the same properties and similar uses. However, you must know that both are different and cannot be used interchangeably. So, now that you know that the two alcohols are not the same, let’s dig into the details of each type of alcohol.
An Overview Of Rubbing Alcohol
Rubbing alcohol is the one that consists of water, isopropyl alcohol, plus numerous other additional ingredients. It contains between 68% and 72% alcohol by volume, and the rest contains water, color additives, oils, and denaturants. Some rubbing alcohol might also contain a compound known as methyl salicylate, which helps relieve aches and pains.
An Overview Of Isopropyl Alcohol
Isopropyl alcohol is pure alcohol with a sharp musty odor. There are no other ingredients present in the isopropyl alcohol; however, sometimes, it might contain 10% to 20% of purified water.
Isopropyl can be used as an active ingredient and disinfectant when combined with water. It is mostly found in cleaning agents, hand sanitizers, multi-purpose cleaners, astringents, and more. Therefore, isopropyl alcohol is largely used as a cleaning agent in commercial, residential, and industrial applications.
Which One Is Better?
Both isopropyl and rubbing alcohol have unique properties suitable for different conditions and uses. Isopropyl alcohol is less diluted and thus, has stronger antibacterial properties. But, it might not be useful for the home. Isopropyl is useful for a more thorough cleaning required for commercial and industrial cleaning. It is used in hand sanitizers with a concentration level between 60% – 90% as it kills bacteria without drying out the skin.
Rubbing alcohol is useful for homes and first aid. It is a diluted solution. Therefore, it can be used on the skin or to sterilize surfaces. Moreover, it is also used to reduce muscle aches. It also gets rid of plant pests. So, one of them is not better than the other as each serves its own purpose.
What Is The Use Of 99% Isopropyl Alcohol?
99% Isopropyl alcohol is used as a solvent or cleaning agent for industries. It is used to remove stubborn dirt and oil stains from machines. It minimizes any residual substances from the surfaces. The higher concentration of isopropyl alcohol makes it suitable to remove grime and grease from machines. That’s why many industrialists usually use isopropyl alcohol.
Final Thoughts
Both rubbing alcohol and isopropyl alcohol have their uses, one is not better than the other. Rubbing alcohol is a diluted form of isopropyl alcohol and is useful for numerous applications such as cleaning, first-aid, and reducing a fever.
Isopropyl alcohol contains more alcohol and is useful for commercial and industrial applications. So, you must read the directions, possible applications, and instructions prior to using it.
About Sunrise Industrial Cleaners
Sunrise Industrial Cleaners is an industrial-grade cleaning product specialist. We proudly manufacture and supply a comprehensive range of liquid and powdered industrial cleaning and degreasing products.
We offer premium-quality isopropyl alcohol, useful for different applications. If you have any questions about our products or which products will work best to suit your needs, please contact us.
