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Today we are going to learn how to disinfect with rubbing alcohol the CORRECT way!

Since January 1st, I have received 10 emails from readers asking about disinfecting with rubbing alcohol. Various questions including how to disinfect with it along with what you can disinfect safely with rubbing alcohol.

The most misunderstood topic on the internet is cleaning and disinfecting.

But here are my science-based chemist tips on disinfecting with rubbing alcohol, so you can start keeping your home clean and safe.

How To Disinfect With Rubbing Alcohol (The Correct Way)

Why is rubbing alcohol a good disinfectant?

There are several reasons why rubbing alcohol is one of the best, most versatile disinfectants. First, it is a very stable solution. You can keep a bottle for years, and it will maintain potency. 

Most importantly, rubbing alcohol is a good choice due to its ability to denature proteins and disrupt the cell membranes of many bacteria, fungi, and some viruses. It kills a broad range of viruses and bacteria. 

Here’s why 70% is considered the best:

 Water is crucial for alcohol to work effectively. It helps the alcohol penetrate cells and prevents it from evaporating too quickly, allowing for longer contact time with the germs. A higher concentration can actually evaporate too fast, reducing its effectiveness.

The 70% concentration strikes a balance, allowing the alcohol to effectively denature (unfold) the proteins within the germ’s cells, which disrupts their normal function and kills them.

This concentration is effective against a wide range of common germs, making it a versatile disinfectant for household and general use.

While higher concentrations of alcohol might seem like they would be more effective, they can actually be less due to the lack of water content.

Your container of rubbing alcohol will likely saying 70% “isopropyl alcohol” which is the percent of pure isopropyl alcohol to water in the solution. Isopropyl alcohol mixed with water is referred to as “rubbing alcohol.” This article from Medical News explains some more details. Depending on the brand you purchase, the terminology is going to vary. But the universal term we know in the US for this is rubbing alcohol, so this is what we refer to it in this article.

How do you make a disinfectant with rubbing alcohol?

Here is how you make a homemade disinfectant with rubbing alcohol.

Ingredients:

• 70% rubbing alcohol
• Spray bottle

Directions:

1. Add rubbing alcohol to the spray bottle, and that’s it! Do not add water, water will dilute the solution which will hinder the disinfecting properties. Water and other ingredients are only added to rubbing alcohol for a cleaning solution.

Try lemon-infused for a better homemade rubbing alcohol disinfectant solution:

For 10 years, Chemistry Cachet has shared lemon infused rubbing alcohol. By infusing lemon peels into an alcohol solution, you get pure rubbing alcohol with a fresh lemony scent. This makes it a little bit more bearable to disinfect your home with. It is the only way I use rubbing alcohol for disinfecting because I love how wonderful it smells. 

By the way, using lemon essential oil is an option (I get this question a lot), but it doesn’t impact the scent the same. 

I also use the lemon infused rubbing alcohol to create DIY cleaning solutions.

Here is how you can make it.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups of lemon peels (roughly 2 lemons depending on the size)
• Glass jar with a lid
• 70% rubbing alcohol
• Spray bottle

Directions:

1. Fill a glass jar with lemon peels, fill to the top with 70% rubbing alcohol.
2. Allow this solution to infuse for two weeks.
3. After two weeks, strain out the lemon peels. Add this solution to a spray bottle.

How to Use Lemon Infused (or Regular ) 70% Rubbing Alcohol For Disinfecting:

Step 1: Clean your surface thoroughly. The definition of cleaning is removing dirt and debris from a surface. Disinfecting is more successful when you start with a clean surface.

Step 2: Spray the entire surface with your rubbing alcohol spray. Allow it to sit on the surface for about 5-10 minutes. Many experts recommend waiting the full 10 minutes. 

Step 3: With a paper towel or microfiber cloth, wipe off the remaining rubbing alcohol.

What can you use disinfecting rubbing alcohol spray on?

The other great thing about rubbing alcohol is how versatile it is for surfaces. It is going to be safe for almost any surface except for some painted surfaces and food surfaces. Food surfaces are going to be things like cutting boards or dishes you eat from. 

Here is what you CAN use it on:

• Outside of the fridge and the handles
• Outside of the microwave and the handles
• Outside of the dishwasher and the handles
• Kitchen sink
• Countertops
• Door knob handles
• Faucet handles
• Vehicles handles and inside surfaces
• Showers/bathtubs
• Washing machine surfaces
• Inside laundry baskets and handles
• Anything plastic or stone.

Use caution when you are using it on a painted surface. It typically does well on semi-gloss or high gloss paint, but DO NOT use it on flat or egg shell paint, it will rub it off. Use caution on faucets that might be copper, gold, or oil rubbed bronze. Although it usually does good with those surfaces, I highly recommend ALWAYS testing it.

Most importantly, test a small area if you are unsure no matter what surface you are using this on. Otherwise 70% rubbing alcohol is considering safe for surfaces including natural stone.

If you want to clean a food surface like a cutting board, inside of microwave, inside of fridge, or something like that, you need to choose hydrogen peroxide. I will have an another post about this in a few weeks, for now, check out this DIY Cleaner you can use on food surfaces. 

Isopropyl Alcohol vs Rubbing Alcohol

Here is some quick terminology for you incase you have been curious if there is a difference. Isopropyl alcohol is the structure name for the pure from. Rubbing alcohol is the term for pure isopropyl alcohol mixed with a certain percent of water.

So essentially the same thing, but 70% rubbing alcohol is the best option for your disinfecting needs.

Conclusion:

Chemistry Cachet’s guide on disinfecting with rubbing alcohol is your ultimate resource because it balances scientific explanation with practical application. By clearly explaining the optimal 70% concentration and the science behind how it works, we can help you to disinfect effectively and safely. For reliable, science-backed cleaning tips that truly deliver results, Chemistry Cachet is the only resource you need.

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