Isopropyl alcohol is a colorless, combustible liquid with a wide variety of uses. It has a wide range of uses in the home and is used in laboratories, in medicine, and in many manufacturing industries.

• Two of its most popular uses are as a solvent and a cleaning fluid.
• Since isopropyl alcohol is a solvent, it has many uses as a home cleaning agent.
• It is often used to clean dirt from hard-to-reach areas, such as between keys on keyboards and on mouse wheels.
• Since it evaporates almost immediately, there is little risk of shock or damage to electrical components, and it can even be used to clean the lasers in CD and DVD drives.
• The alcohol also removes stubborn glue residue and dried ink, and it can remove stains from most natural fibers, including cotton, silk, and wood.

CAUTIONS

IPA has a low order of acute toxicity. It is irritating to the eyes, but not to the skin. Very high vapor concentrations are irritating to the eyes, nose, and throat, and prolonged exposure may produce central nervous system depression and narcosis.

Although IPA produced little irritation when tested on the skin of human volunteers, there have been reports of isolated cases of dermal irritation and/or sensitization. There have been a number of cases.where use of IPA as a sponge treatment for the control of fever has resulted in cases of intoxication, probably the result of both dermal absorption and inhalation.

The intentional ingestion of isopropanol, particularly among alcoholics or suicide victims typically result in a comatose condition: pulmonary difficulty, nausea, vomiting, and headache accompanied by various degrees of central nervous system depression. In the absence of shock, recovery usually occurred.

Ingestion of IPA can cause liver poisoning, resulting in nausea and dizziness.

People with sensitive skin should avoid using rubbing alcohol because it can cause dryness and peeling. This dryness can cause the skin to produce more oil, worsening the acne problem. It is also known to affect eyesight.