Rubbing alcohol won't get you drunk, and in fact, it is not suitable for consumption. This clear liquid evaporates quickly, and prolonged exposure to the vapors can cause irritation to the eyes, nose and throat. Rubbing alcohol is the active ingredient in hand sanitizers, which help to prevent the spread of infectious disease.
Contents
Rubbing alcohol you buy at the local drugstore usually contains 70 percent isopropyl alcohol and 30 percent water. It is an ingredient in home cleaning solutions, skin products and industrial processes. Isopropyl alcohol is not the same alcohol you drink.
Denatured Alcohol
Sometimes rubbing alcohol is made from ethanol alcohol, the same substance used in alcoholic beverages, but it is denatured. The process of denaturing the alcohol renders it unfit for consumption, so that stores can sell it to minors and without an alcohol tax. It is common to denature ethanol alcohol with isopropanol.
Swimmer's Ear
Swimmer's ear can be treated with rubbing alcohol, according to the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Identify which ear has water in it, and tilt your head so that ear is facing the ceiling. Squeeze a medicine dropper full of rubbing alcohol into the ear canal while pulling your ear up and back. Manually wiggle your ear for a few seconds, then turn the other ear up so the rubbing alcohol can drain out.
Poison Ivy
If you know you have been exposed to poison ivy or another irritating plant, grab a bottle of rubbing alcohol. Saturate a clean cloth or paper towel with rubbing alcohol, and gently wipe the affected area. When the area is completely dry, wash it with soap and warm water. The don't re-expose yourself to poison ivy, because rubbing alcohol removes the natural protective layer on your skin, leaving you more vulnerable to dermal irritants.
Child Safety
Rubbing alcohol usually comes in clear and wintergreen varieties. Clear rubbing alcohol has no coloring or fragrance to mask its pungent smell. Wintergreen alcohol contains oil of wintergreen, which gives the alcohol a festive green color and a minty smell. The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia suggests that although both types are dangerous if ingested, clear rubbing alcohol is the safer alternative. Not only is it less inviting to children, it is slightly less toxic than its counterpart.
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