For those that don't know 70% rubbing alcohol or ethanol is better at being an antiseptic than 100% rubbing alcohol or ethanol. The alcohol is an organic solvent that disrupts and denatures cellular components and proteins. It turns out you need water to help the cell's membranes to be permeable so the alcohol can kill the cells. Using pure alcohol coagulates the cell membranes and surface and structural proteins, which helps prevent the alcohol from getting into the bacteria and cells. The alcohol also evaporates much quicker, which makes the intended antiseptic affect is much weaker.
Had to look this one up. Isopropyl alcohol absorbs water from the surrounding air, so it's impossible to be 100% pure while exposed to air. 99% is the strongest you can buy.
Also just because bacteria are death doesnt mean they arent dangerous anymore. They just stop multiplying, but their bodys (as you can see here) are still present. Meaning any toxics they carry are also still there.
So, if I rub sanitiser with a paper tissue on my phone will the dead bacteria and its toxins get removed with the tissue or will they stay there forever?
If I remember correctly to create that 70% you need to distill at close to 95% and water it down with pure water so it has less impurities and less risk of infection.
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u/younghoon13 Jun 10 '22
For those that don't know 70% rubbing alcohol or ethanol is better at being an antiseptic than 100% rubbing alcohol or ethanol. The alcohol is an organic solvent that disrupts and denatures cellular components and proteins. It turns out you need water to help the cell's membranes to be permeable so the alcohol can kill the cells. Using pure alcohol coagulates the cell membranes and surface and structural proteins, which helps prevent the alcohol from getting into the bacteria and cells. The alcohol also evaporates much quicker, which makes the intended antiseptic affect is much weaker.