24 Inventive Uses for Rubbing Alcohol

Rubbing alcohol is known for being an inexpensive way to clean and sanitize.  This cheap product in the plain packaging has many more uses than you might realize.  *Note:  Keep in mind that isopropyl alcohol is NOT for human consumption.

Uses for Rubbing Alcohol:  Health and Beauty

• Rubbing alcohol makes a good nail polish remover.
• Out of deodorant?  Use rubbing alcohol in a pinch.  Here is another way to make homemade deodorant.
• It’s also good for cleaning earring backs.
• It’s not something you may think about, but make-up can get “germy.” Once a month, it’s a good idea to wipe down your compacts, brushes, and make-up bags with rubbing alcohol.
• Use a cotton ball soaked in rubbing alcohol to get rid of rings around the collars of white shirts.
• Did you know that you can use rubbing alcohol to make your own hand sanitizer?  Genius!
• Use rubbing alcohol to make homemade ice packs for bumps and scrapes.
• Applied directly to bruised skin, it can help reduce swelling.
• Dry out cold sores and mosquito bites by dabbing the areas with rubbing alcohol.
• Rubbing down your feet with rubbing alcohol can also help prevent and get rid of athlete’s foot.
• Equal parts vinegar and rubbing alcohol make a good ear wax removal.  Dab it inside your ear with a cotton ball a couple times a day to loosen and dissolve the wax.
• Soaking your nails in the same mixture can help get rid of nail fungus.

Uses for Rubbing Alcohol:  Around the House

• As a natural degreaser, alcohol is good for cleaning anything from sinks to stoves.  It gets rid of water spots on stainless steel sinks and finger prints from appliances. In fact, you can make a really cheap homemade glass cleaner with rubbing alcohol.
• As a side note, rubbing alcohol can get residue off of white boards as well as build-up on keyboards and cell phones.
• Use rubbing alcohol to get rid of fresh ink and wine stains in fabric and carpet.
• Gently wipe out the dusty candles and candle holders with a rubbing alcohol damped rag to make them look fresh and new (works great with those half/burnt pillar and jar candles). 
• Rubbing alcohol is great for removing stickers from unwanted places (like walls and furniture).  It’s also great for getting rid of the glue residue from price tags.
• It’s also very useful for getting rid of permanent marker off of plastic bins, counter tops, etc.
• Spray rubbing alcohol into stinky shoes and set them in the sun.

Other Uses for Rubbing Alcohol

• Rubbing down your windshield with rubbing alcohol can keep it frost-free in the winter.
• If your windshield is already covered in ice, pouring some rubbing alcohol on it will almost instantly melt the frost away.
• Find a tick on your pet?  Dab rubbing alcohol on it, wait a minute, and then pull it off.  It should be much easier that way.
• Keep bugs and pests away from plants by spraying them with a little rubbing alcohol and water.
• Remove onion and garlic odors from your hands with rubbing alcohol (hand sanitizer should work too). 

Not all of these remedies will work for everyone all the time.  Do these work for you?  What other uses have you found for rubbing alcohol.  Share your thoughts HERE.