There is a difference between rubbing and denatured alcohol. But sometimes they are the same...and sometimes they are not. And very rarely are they properly labeled as one or the other. Very confusing!
Needing DENATURED alcohol for thgluons on boots project, I (of course) google the subject.
Here's the basics: rubbing alcohol is safe for tHe skin. Some denatured alcohols are also rubbing alcohols. Denatured alcohol is drinkable alcohol that has had gasoline, methyl, or some other substance added to make it not-consumable.
So here's your final exam:
Store 1 has one alcohol labeled "isopropyl rubbing alcohol".
Do you buy it?
If you answered "no because I need a comparison to be sure of what I'm buying," you are correct!
Store 2 has two choices:
isopropyl rubbing alcohol
ethyl rubbing alcohol
which do you buy?
If you answer is "look at the inactive ingredients because I'm still not sure", you are correct!
Isopropyl has water, ethyl has (among a long list of other nasty chemical sounding names) methly.
Ding ding ding ding - we have found a winner - ethyl rubbing alcohol is denatured alcohol!
Thank you for playing. Being thus educated, maybe YOU won't accidentally buy a GALLON of the wrong stuff...and then bore a very nice pharmasist at store 2 with a long explaination of how you THINK you are right (by choosing the ethyl alcohol) because of yada yada yada.....but you need confirmation...
Anyone need any rubbing alcohol? (the isopropyl non-denatured kind!)
I am very curious about what the pharmacist said/thought.... ;-)
ReplyDeleteWV: anappe
sounds like we could all use anappe...or maybe just a nice long snooze on the couch.
The key word is not "rubbing," it's "isopropyl." Denatured is usually found in the paint section because it is the thinner for shellac. Denatured is also the fuel for sterno, both the jellied and the liquid. I was out and tried isopropyl, but it stinks and it has too much water in it to burn properly (though it will burn).
ReplyDeleteAt least Isopropyl alchohol is cheap.
ReplyDeleteWow, a chemistry question on a horse blog! Cool beans.
ReplyDeleteRubbing alcohol is isopropanol (or isopropyl alcohol or IPA) mixed with water, usually in a concentration of 70%. Denatured alcohol is ethanol (or ethyl alcohol) mixed with water and poisons, like methyl alcohol, to prevent human consumption (Ethanol is the alcohol in liquor and beer.). I used to purchase denatured ethanol for a pharmaceutical lab at 95% in water. I did not know that you could find it at a neighborhood pharmacy.
Since both alcohols are disinfecting, I assume this is why they could both be used as rubbing alcohols, although I do not see the need to "poison" IPA, because it is already quite poisonous if consumed.
I know this is way too late to be helpful, but I could not resist! Good luck with the shoes!