# Denatured alcohol **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [August 21, 2001, 12:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/denatured-alcohol/77322 "2001-08-21T12:59:36Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Mousseduck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ecc23a/32.png) [@Mousseduck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mousseduck)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2001, 12:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/denatured-alcohol/77322/1 "2001-08-21T12:59:36Z")
Is denatured alcohol the same thing as methylated spirits? If not, what is denatured alcohol? What are the percentages of ethanol and methanol in methylated spirits? Thanks. ---
**Author:** ![barbitu8](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/839c29/32.png) [@barbitu8](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/barbitu8)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2001, 1:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/denatured-alcohol/77322/2 "2001-08-21T13:17:48Z")
Alcohol is denatured by being methylated. So denatured alcohol is the same as methylated spirits. ---
**Author:** ![therealblaze](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a9adbd/32.png) [@therealblaze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/therealblaze)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2001, 1:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/denatured-alcohol/77322/3 "2001-08-21T13:39:08Z")
True but you can denature alcohol with other chemicals too. Denatured alcohol is ethanol to which poisonous and foul-tasting chamicals have been added to make it unfit for drinking. There is more than one recipe for denaturing alcohol; some add methanol or isopropanol, some gasoline, and so on. [My source](http://newton.dep.anl.gov/askasci/chem00/chem00102.htm). ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2001, 1:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/denatured-alcohol/77322/4 "2001-08-21T13:48:45Z")
I understand that they used to “denature” ethanol by adding benzene to it. They don’t do this any more – benzene is a carcinogen. Back during Prohibition an enterprising chemical company in my home town used to bring in denatured alcohol and distill out the ethanol, then sell it to speakeasies in New York. Free Enterprise at its best. ---
**Author:** ![Mousseduck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ecc23a/32.png) [@Mousseduck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mousseduck)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2001, 1:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/denatured-alcohol/77322/5 "2001-08-21T13:53:26Z")
Are there any requirements as to how much methanol is added to ethanol in methylated spirits? Do they add a specific amount, or whatever the supplier feels is a good amount? And if it is specific, how much is it?