10 Amazing Cleaning Uses for Rubbing Alcohol
Published on May 13, 2018 | Updated - Apr 10, 2025
Isopropyl alcohol, more commonly referred to as rubbing alcohol, is one of the most underrated cleaning products available. It is such a versatile and effective disinfectant, and its uses are almost endless.
This wonder product has so many applications that you will be totally amazed when you learn just what you can do with it.
What is rubbing alcohol?
Rubbing alcohol is comprised of 70% isopropyl alcohol, water, and other chemicals.
It has amazing cleaning and disinfecting properties, dries extremely quickly, and doesn’t leave any residue, which makes it very easy to use.
Whether you are looking at cleaning leather furniture with alcohol or removing a stubborn stain from your carpet, rubbing alcohol can usually do the trick! You’ll find it at most major supermarkets and hardware stores like Bunnings.
Quick Tip: Buying isopropyl alcohol on-line through sites such as Dick Smiths is much more cost effective than purchasing from retail stores.
However, before we get too carried away, a word of caution: the fumes from rubbing alcohol can be quite powerful, so make sure you use it in well-ventilated areas.
Make sure you choose the 70% solution, as this is a lot safer and is also non-flammable. Any concentration of isopropyl alcohol higher than 90% is mostly used in commercial or industrial settings and is not recommended for household use.
10 Ways to Use Rubbing Alcohol for Cleaning
1. Cleaning leather with alcohol
Kids will be kids and quite often, the world is an open canvas for them. Unfortunately, leather sofas don’t take so well to pens or textas.
Do you have pen or texta marks on your beautiful sofa courtesy of your kids? If so, fear not – there is an easy solution!
Try dabbing the ink mark with rubbing alcohol and wiping it with a clean cloth. Just be careful not to scrub the area too hard as you may take the colour out of the lounge.
Clean a small or inconspicuous area of the lounge first just to make sure you don’t cause any further damage.
Once done and the area has fully dried, apply some leather conditioner or suitable moisturiser to your sofa as the rubbing alcohol may cause the leather to dry out and potentially crack or tear over time.
2. Removing hairspray residue
Does your mirror or vanity unit have a sticky residue left over from using hair spray?
When you stand in one place using hair spray over a period of time, it can build up on surfaces around you and leave unwanted residue. As hair spray is lacquer, it can be extremely difficult to remove—and the longer you leave it, the harder it can be to clean.
However, don’t worry—rubbing alcohol comes to the rescue again! Simply spray the mirror with rubbing alcohol and wipe it clean with a paper towel or cleaning cloth. Problem solved!
3. All-purpose kitchen degreaser
Do you have greasy residue on your stove or benchtops?
Your kitchen stove and benchtops are places where grease and grime easily accumulate. If you find that cleaning with regular cleaning products is leaving smears, it’s probably because of a build-up of cleaning product residue on top of the cooking grease and oils.
Try some rubbing alcohol on a cloth and wipe down your greasy stove and benchtops. This should cut through the grease and oil and help with the film caused by cleaning product residues.
4. Carpet stain remover
If you’ve got dark, dirty spots on your carpet, we suggest trying rubbing alcohol. The dark spots are usually caused by a grease or sugar residue that has stuck to your carpet—and dirt then sticks to the stain.
A spray of rubbing alcohol, combined with blotting using a clean cloth, will often remove these dark stains, freshening up the appearance of your carpet.
Just remember not to rub too hard, and avoid the use of abrasive materials or stiff brushes, as this may cause damage to the pile of your carpet.
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Bad odours around the house can be very unpleasant, especially if visitors pop in unannounced. Those with pets will know what we are talking about!
Most people reach for the air freshener in this situation. However, some aerosol air fresheners contain CFCs, which can be dangerous to your health and the health of your family.
So, how can we get rid of these unpleasant odours?
As an alternative, mix 1 cup of rubbing alcohol with 10 to 15 ml of essential oil and place it in a spray bottle.
You can also try mixing fragrances together, such as grapefruit and lavender, for an awesome fresh fragrance that not only smells good but is also safe for your family and the environment.
6. Homemade disinfectant
Luckily, there is an easy way to get rid of germs around the house without using standard disinfectants and other harmful chemicals.
All you need are some natural ingredients and a few simple steps. This method is so effective that many people find themselves trusting these homemade disinfectants more than the ones you buy from the supermarket.
Try mixing 1 part rubbing alcohol with 1 part water and a drop of essential oil. Spray onto the surfaces and wipe clean. You can use your homemade disinfectant just about anywhere in the house—kitchen, bathroom, laundry, toilet, and even pet beds!
7. Clean venetian blinds
Venetian blinds easily collect dust and gunk, which not only becomes a health hazard but is an eyesore too.
Cleaning your blinds with a soft cloth is an easy way to keep them clean, but if you want the best results, use rubbing alcohol. Rubbing alcohol will remove any sticky soils holding the dirt to the Venetian blind and give a better result.
Simply spray the blinds with rubbing alcohol and wipe with a clean cloth. Ensure that your blinds are open so air can circulate between each slat. However, remember that rubbing alcohol dries quickly—so you’ll be done in no time! Clean your Venetian blinds monthly with rubbing alcohol.
8. Deodorise shoes
You can’t stop your smelly shoes from following you. Smelly shoes can be embarrassing, as they can stink up a room, car, locker room, or office cubicle like nothing else. No matter how much you clean your shoes, they still might have a strong smell.
Luckily, there is a simple solution—rubbing alcohol!
Yep, you can even use rubbing alcohol to deodorise your smelly shoes! Spray undiluted rubbing alcohol into your smelly shoes and the alcohol will take care of the yucky, odour-causing bacteria.
9. Cleaning bathroom fixtures
Does the stainless steel in your bathroom look weathered? Rubbing alcohol is a great way to clean and disinfect any bathroom surface, but it's even better when you use it on chrome, stainless steel, and glass. The quick evaporation means that there won’t be any streaking or smudging left on the surface.
All you need to do is put a little rubbing alcohol onto a cloth to clean your bathroom fixtures. The rubbing alcohol will give a streak-free shine and treat any bacteria and germs in the process. Your bathroom and its fixtures will look brand new in no time!
10. Removing stickers
Do you get frustrated by the gunky residue from stickers, price tags, and labels? The gummy residue left behind when you peel off stickers of any sort can be a real pain to clean up. Removing sticker residue isn't difficult, but you really should avoid using a knife or metal blade.
There is an easier and more convenient solution.
Soak a paper towel or cloth in rubbing alcohol and wipe down the sticky area. If this doesn’t work, try laying a rubbing alcohol-soaked rag over the spot for several minutes before removing it and rubbing it clean!
Final Thoughts
As we can see from the above, rubbing alcohol is a very versatile cleaning product and is great for cleaning and disinfecting certain surfaces and removing those pesky little stains around the house.
It is a relatively inexpensive option and is readily available from most supermarkets and convenience stores if you need to remove stains or clean surfaces in a hurry.
However, it is important to understand that it may not be suitable for removing certain types of stains, particularly larger stains. This is where the use of professional cleaning services will help you to achieve the best results.
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