# Which alcohol to use for cuts and scrapes? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [November 17, 2006, 7:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-alcohol-to-use-for-cuts-and-scrapes/380875 "2006-11-17T19:53:33Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![According\_to\_Pliny](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/8e7dd6/32.png) [@According\_to\_Pliny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/According_to_Pliny)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2006, 7:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-alcohol-to-use-for-cuts-and-scrapes/380875/1 "2006-11-17T19:53:33Z")
Lots of people seem to use rubbing alcohol 50% or 70% for this, but the description of uses usually does not include antiseptic descriptions. Isopropol alcohol 95% or 99% seems to be correct, but it’s poisonous, which puts me off. Pure ethyl alcohol is not a prescription item, and seems best but is usually hidden and must be requested from the pharmacist,. ---
**Author:** ![Sephian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9fc29f/32.png) [@Sephian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sephian)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2006, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-alcohol-to-use-for-cuts-and-scrapes/380875/2 "2006-11-17T19:57:03Z")
I use 99% Isopropol, not sure if you mean poisonous as in “you could die if you drink it,” which probably applies to 70% as well. If you want pure ethanol, you can go to a liquor store & buy some grain alcohol. ---
**Author:** ![Duckster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duckster/32/1244_2.png) [@Duckster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duckster)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2006, 8:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-alcohol-to-use-for-cuts-and-scrapes/380875/3 "2006-11-17T20:48:51Z")
[QUOTE=According to Pliny] Isopropol alcohol 95% or 99% seems to be correct, but it’s poisonous, which puts me off. [/QUOTE] It’s [poisonous](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rubbing_alcohol#Abuse) if you ingest it. As a [disinfectant](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Disinfectant), it work great. But that’s the point isn’t it? You want it to kill microorganisms but you don’t want it to kill you. Go ahead and use it. ---
**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2006, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-alcohol-to-use-for-cuts-and-scrapes/380875/4 "2006-11-17T21:05:18Z")
It is generally recongized that a 70-80% solution of either ethanol or isporopanol is the most effective concentration; it even does better than pure alcohol. [Cite.](http://www.ucl.ac.uk/medicalschool/msa/safety/docs/laboratorydisinfectioncop.pdf) (Warning: PDF) ---
**Author:** ![bouv](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bc8723/32.png) [@bouv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bouv)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2006, 9:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-alcohol-to-use-for-cuts-and-scrapes/380875/5 "2006-11-17T21:56:30Z")
m I the only one shuddering at the thought of using alcohol to disinfect cuts and scraps? My God, man, why put yourself through that much torment? Hydrogen peroxide stings much less and works very well, and isn’t expensive at all. ---
**Author:** ![snailboy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/97f17d/32.png) [@snailboy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/snailboy)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2006, 10:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-alcohol-to-use-for-cuts-and-scrapes/380875/6 "2006-11-17T22:00:25Z")
[QUOTE=Sephian] If you want pure ethanol, you can go to a liquor store & buy some grain alcohol. [/QUOTE] I’ve seen ethanol sold at the pharmacy just like isopropanol. They add another chemical or two so you can’t drink it (called denaturing), though I’m sure it’s still useful as an antiseptic. ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2006, 10:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-alcohol-to-use-for-cuts-and-scrapes/380875/7 "2006-11-17T22:37:05Z")
Alcohol isn’t the best choice. As mention hydrogen peroxide is much better for a small cut or abrasion. ---
**Author:** ![Tristan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tristan/32/18058_2.png) [@Tristan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tristan)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2006, 10:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-alcohol-to-use-for-cuts-and-scrapes/380875/8 "2006-11-17T22:53:46Z")
But, in a pinch, could I dump some of the nasty Grey Goose I’ve got in my basement over a cut? ---
**Author:** ![danceswithcats](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9e8a1a/32.png) [@danceswithcats](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/danceswithcats)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2006, 11:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-alcohol-to-use-for-cuts-and-scrapes/380875/9 "2006-11-17T23:01:03Z")
[QUOTE=Tristan] But, in a pinch, could I dump some of the nasty Grey Goose I’ve got in my basement over a cut? [/QUOTE] Nah for minor cuts and scrapes, I’ll have a beer. Something worse, like a root canal requires vodka, gin, or brandy if that’s your taste. I’d never waste good vodka on a cut or scrape. Tis alcohol abuse! 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Yeah](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/dbc845/32.png) [@Yeah](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yeah)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2006, 12:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-alcohol-to-use-for-cuts-and-scrapes/380875/10 "2006-11-18T00:34:17Z")
You are much better off using lots of water on a scrape or cut than anything that stings. ---
**Author:** ![lazybratsche](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ba8739/32.png) [@lazybratsche](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lazybratsche)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2006, 12:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-alcohol-to-use-for-cuts-and-scrapes/380875/11 "2006-11-18T00:57:11Z")
[QUOTE=Yeah] You are much better off using lots of water on a scrape or cut than anything that stings. [/QUOTE] Cite? I usually just use soap and water, but if that’s not handy I’ll use some sort of rubbing alcohol hand sanitizer. ---
**Author:** ![Tristan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tristan/32/18058_2.png) [@Tristan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tristan)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2006, 1:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-alcohol-to-use-for-cuts-and-scrapes/380875/12 "2006-11-18T01:05:37Z")
[QUOTE=danceswithcats] Nah for minor cuts and scrapes, I’ll have a beer. Something worse, like a root canal requires vodka, gin, or brandy if that’s your taste. I’d never waste good vodka on a cut or scrape. Tis alcohol abuse! 😉 [/QUOTE] I know. I said I was going to be using Grey Goose, certainly nothing good. ---
**Author:** ![Napier](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ce73a5/32.png) [@Napier](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Napier)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2006, 12:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-alcohol-to-use-for-cuts-and-scrapes/380875/13 "2006-11-18T12:33:04Z")
\>It is generally recongized that a 70-80% solution of either ethanol or isporopanol is the most effective concentration Interesting. I’ve read the opposite, that 70-80% is less effective and that the higher common concentration of 91% should be used (don’t remember where). But then the alcohol wipes that are sold with insulin home injection products use 70-80%. By the way, the doc’s loaded with spelling errors. It also says that only freshly prepared solutions should be used because older solutions can lose effectiveness (which seems unlikely for isopropanol/water unless you actually let it evaporate away). How carefully do we think this was prepared? ---
**Author:** ![Yeah](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/dbc845/32.png) [@Yeah](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yeah)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2006, 12:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-alcohol-to-use-for-cuts-and-scrapes/380875/14 "2006-11-18T12:50:46Z")
[QUOTE=Napier] \>It is generally recongized that a 70-80% solution of either ethanol or isporopanol is the most effective concentration Interesting. I’ve read the opposite, that 70-80% is less effective and that the higher common concentration of 91% should be used (don’t remember where). But then the alcohol wipes that are sold with insulin home injection products use 70-80%. [/QUOTE] For hand hygiene (not wounds), the CDC says the optimum concentration for alcohols is 60%–95% (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Guideline for Hand Hygiene in Health-Care Settings: Recommendations of the Healthcare Infection Control Practices Advisory Committee and the HICPAC/SHEA/APIC/IDSA Hand Hygiene Task Force. MMWR 2002;51(No. RR-16):45. ---
**Author:** ![pool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pool/32/4152_2.png) [@pool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pool)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2006, 1:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-alcohol-to-use-for-cuts-and-scrapes/380875/15 "2006-11-18T13:04:12Z")
Everclear ---
**Author:** ![Yeah](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/dbc845/32.png) [@Yeah](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yeah)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2006, 1:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-alcohol-to-use-for-cuts-and-scrapes/380875/16 "2006-11-18T13:48:46Z")
[QUOTE=lazybratsche] Cite? I usually just use soap and water, but if that’s not handy I’ll use some sort of rubbing alcohol hand sanitizer. [/QUOTE] I think the info is in here but I don’t currently have access to the full text: JBI Reports Vol. 2 Issue 7 Page 231 August 2004 Effectiveness of solutions, techniques and pressure in wound cleansing Ritin Fernandez RN MN(CritCare), Rhonda Griffiths RN CM BEd(Nurs) MSc(Hons) DrPH, Cheryl Ussia RN CertWoundMan Things that sting are not advisable because they are toxic to cells exposed by injury. Alcohol, which kills cells, should only be used on intact skin. All alcohol does in a wound is create more dead tissue for bacteria to feed on. ---
**Author:** ![mnemosyne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c4cdca/32.png) [@mnemosyne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mnemosyne)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2006, 7:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-alcohol-to-use-for-cuts-and-scrapes/380875/17 "2006-11-18T19:00:50Z")
FWIW, the pharmaceutical industry uses 70% isopropanol for cleaning and disinfection of equipment and machinery used in the manufacturing of that pain reliever you’re going to take after you clean up your wound. ---
**Author:** ![outlierrn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/outlierrn/32/3005_2.png) [@outlierrn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/outlierrn)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2006, 7:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-alcohol-to-use-for-cuts-and-scrapes/380875/18 "2006-11-18T19:24:13Z")
we never use anything in the hospital that causes tissue death in open wounds, it’s not like hydrogen peroxide or alcohol can tell the difference between your cells and pathogens ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2006, 7:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-alcohol-to-use-for-cuts-and-scrapes/380875/19 "2006-11-18T19:27:49Z")
[QUOTE=Yeah] I think the info is in here but I don’t currently have access to the full text: JBI Reports Vol. 2 Issue 7 Page 231 August 2004 Effectiveness of solutions, techniques and pressure in wound cleansing Ritin Fernandez RN MN(CritCare), Rhonda Griffiths RN CM BEd(Nurs) MSc(Hons) DrPH, Cheryl Ussia RN CertWoundMan Things that sting are not advisable because they are toxic to cells exposed by injury. Alcohol, which kills cells, should only be used on intact skin. All alcohol does in a wound is create more dead tissue for bacteria to feed on. [/QUOTE] Right. Alcohol or H2O2 are OK if you need to _clean_ the wound, however, hot water and soap are likely better. Certainly, if you are somewhere out where you don’t have clean water, then one of those alcohol prep pads or something like that is acceptable. If you need an antibiotic, then you want “triple antibiotic” aka Neosporin. Wash the wound, apply the ointment, then a dressing. ---
**Author:** ![Dr\_Paprika](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr_paprika/32/3042_2.png) [@Dr\_Paprika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr_Paprika)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2006, 8:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-alcohol-to-use-for-cuts-and-scrapes/380875/20 "2006-11-18T20:21:39Z")
Tintinnelli’s **Emergency Medicine** recommends copious irrigation with sterile water or normal saline. Using disinfectants can, in theory, kill normal body bacteria without killing the nasty pathogens, allowing them to spread more easily. In practice, I’m not sure this has been exhaustively studied. Using more irrigation is better than using less, which is better than none. I’d be prepared to believe that washing a wound out with alcohol is better than not washing it at all. I’ve seen lots of doctors use chlorhexidine and lots of patients use Polysporin, with generally good results. Some drug companies are now pushing surgical sutures which contain antibiotics – which I can’t see as being much of a panacea. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-alcohol-to-use-for-cuts-and-scrapes/380875.md?page=2)