Four Things You Should Never Use Alcohol to Clean

Stumbling across an effective cleaning solution that you can get on the cheap gives many homeowners a sense of deep accomplishment. Not only are you actually keeping up with your chores (who dusts baseboards, anyway?) but you found a way to do it with a common household item that costs next to nothing. Now that we’re all focusing on keeping our homes free from germs, you may be tempted to douse your surfaces with rubbing alcohol, a longtime go-to for thrifty homemakers who wanted to ensure they were killing every germ onsite. And while it does kill the virus that causes influenza, combining alcohol with certain additives could lead to an impromptu chemistry lesson…or a quick trip to the ER. Read on to brush up on the safest way to use alcohol to disinfect.

Don’t Mix Rubbing Alcohol with Bleach When you mix alcohol and bleach, you create chloroform. Inhaling chloroform can cause a host of serious issues including damage to your liver, kidneys, and central nervous system.

Don’t Use Rubbing Alcohol While Smoking This may seem like a no-brainer, but since alcohol is highly flammable you shouldn’t use it around flames. This includes flames from candles, so make sure you put those out before you spray any alcohol near the surface.

Don’t Use Rubbing Alcohol in Enclosed Spaces with No Circulation Alcohol evaporates quickly, but that also means that it creates harmful fumes. It’s a good idea to open your windows or run a fan if you’re going to be cleaning with alcohol.

Don’t Use Rubbing Alcohol on Certain Surfaces Finished Surfaces: rubbing alcohol can liquify varnishes and finishes, which can destroy the furniture in your home. You should also avoid using alcohol on surfaces that are painted or lacquered. Fabrics: Always check labels or do a spot test before cleaning fabrics with alcohol, but as a rule, you should avoid using alcohol to clean delicate or synthetic materials such as acetate, wool, and silk.

Source: Apartment Therapy, Rubbing Alcohol is Great for Cleaning, But Here Are 6 Things You Should Never Do.