Is rubbing alcohol effective as a sterilizing agent for small wounds? Answer. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention This article has been viewed 145,739 times. For more uses for alcohol from our Medical reviewer, like how to remove a tick with rubbing alcohol, read on! What NOT to Use on Open Wounds Rubbing alcohol is efficient at killing germs, and therefore, it is used in certain cleaners and hand sanitizers. After almost removing my thumb with a chop saw this spring, upon arrival at hospital I had to hold it ,submerged, in a mix of both , in addition to another liquid I didn't catch the name of. Rubbing alcohol (Isopropyl alcohol) makes a great mold and mildew remover. Ships from and sold by The Sales Warehouse. The alcohol doesn't physically burn you, but you feel the sensation because the chemical activates the same nerve receptors in your skin that let you know boiling water or a flame is hot. It can be a good antiseptic but stating "sterilizing agent" would be incorrect. This means once you use the alcohol on an open wound it will burn off all or most of the germs and bacteria but will also hurt a few cells causing your nerves to … For other areas of the skin, you may not have to dilute it, depending on how sensitive your skin is. Note that rubbing alcohol and hand sanitizer do not remove dirt from the hands. Will washing my face in rubbing alcohol have any impact on my liver? No! For more uses for alcohol from our Medical reviewer, like how to remove a tick with rubbing alcohol, read on! "It will burn and sting," she says. Rinse the wound with water. Special cells called VR1 receptors fire neurochemical signals to your brain when they are exposed to heat. So, it is now clear that some compounds of alcohol are used to clean parts and machinery of the finished products. Yes. Rubbing alcohol is a great solvent and it can evaporate quickly making it an awesome choice for getting through greasy and sticky messes. If you do accidentally ingest rubbing alcohol, call your local poison control center or emergency services immediately. Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered. Go to source. Use rubbing alcohol to cleanse the skin's surface where the tick was removed. Dress wounds daily with wound ointment and sterile bandages. Or try "Wundbenzin", as westvan suggested, for the playdough cleanup. If you've ever applied alcohol to a cut or other wound, you know it stings and burns. Will have to ask the BF what he uses, it stings a bit, but is excellent. Is rubbing alcohol also used for head lice ? It's best to use a rubbing alcohol that's 90-95% isopropyl alcohol for this. However, Isopropanol really shouldn't be used for cleaning wounds, there are better things. Should I dilute rubbing alcohol? It doesn't matter which type of alcohol you use—ethanol, isopropyl, and rubbing alcohol all produce the effect. Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 145,739 times. of Health and Human Services, {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/0\/08\/Use-Rubbing-Alcohol-Step-1-Version-2.jpg\/v4-460px-Use-Rubbing-Alcohol-Step-1-Version-2.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/0\/08\/Use-Rubbing-Alcohol-Step-1-Version-2.jpg\/aid807127-v4-728px-Use-Rubbing-Alcohol-Step-1-Version-2.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":345,"bigWidth":"728","bigHeight":"546","licensing":"