Isopropyl alcohol
A solvent that dissolves oils and residues and evaporates without a trace. Useful on electronics and glass; flammable, and damaging to some plastics and finishes.
What not to do
These are the combinations an authority has warned about. It is not a list of everything dangerous: a substance nobody has warned about has not been cleared, and none of this is permission to mix.
Never mix
Chloroform and related chlorinated compounds are formed. The reported effects of exposure are dizziness, nausea, headaches and loss of consciousness. Losing consciousness in the presence of the reaction that caused it is what makes this more dangerous than the symptom list suggests, because the exposure continues while the person is unable to leave. Anyone affected should be moved into fresh air immediately and medical advice sought.
Isopropyl alcohol is unsafe on Finished leather
Unsafe
Do not do this. The risk is established, and it is described below.
Alcohol is named in the prohibition list; the objection is to what it does to a water-based finish rather than to the hide.
Precautions
- Test on an inconspicuous area first
- Check the manufacturer's instructions
Evidence
Strongly supported
Sources
Leather Care and Cleaning Guide
The Leather Institute, 2011 · Trade or professional body
Relied on for: That cleaners containing alcohol and any strong solvent must never be used, because they may cause cracking or other damage to today's water-based leather finishes. (states this directly)
Isopropyl alcohol is unsafe on Suede
Unsafe
Do not do this. The risk is established, and it is described below.
The guide permits odourless mineral spirits as a LAST step on suede and prohibits alcohol outright; the two are not interchangeable.
Precautions
- Test on an inconspicuous area first
- Ventilate the area
- Check the manufacturer's instructions
Evidence
Strongly supported
Sources
Leather Care and Cleaning Guide
The Leather Institute, 2011 · Trade or professional body
Relied on for: That cleaners containing alcohol and any strong solvent must never be used on leather, while odourless mineral spirits are named only as the final step for oil on suede after cornstarch. (states this directly)
Isopropyl alcohol is unsafe on Vinyl flooring
Unsafe
Do not do this. The risk is established, and it is described below.
Precautions
- Test on an inconspicuous area first
- Ventilate the area
- Check the manufacturer's instructions
Evidence
Supported
Sources
Maintenance Instructions: Vinyl Composition Tile Flooring
Tarkett (Johnsonite / Azrock), 2016 · Manufacturer documentation
Relied on for: That strong solvents, naming gasoline, turpentine and acetone, must not be used on the flooring. (applied to this case rather than stated directly)
Isopropyl alcohol may damage Microwave oven
Best avoided
The available guidance advises against this.
The other half of the same exclusion, and the half people meet in a screen wipe.
Precautions
- Check the manufacturer's instructions
- Ventilate the area
Evidence
Supported
Sources
Owner's Manual: Microwave Oven, models JEM31 and PEM31
GE Appliances · Manufacturer documentation
Relied on for: That cleaners containing ammonia or alcohol must not be used on the microwave oven, because ammonia or alcohol can damage the appearance of the microwave. (states this directly)
Isopropyl alcohol is unsafe on uPVC
Unsafe
Do not do this. The risk is established, and it is described below.
Standing in for the solvent class the manufacturer prohibits. The guide names no individual solvent; it prohibits solvent-based cleaners twice, in capitals.
Evidence
Supported
Sources
PVC-U Window & Door Systems: Handling, Installation, Maintenance and Care Guide
The VEKA UK Group (VEKA and Halo profile systems), 2014 · Manufacturer documentation
Relied on for: That on no account should solvent based cleaners be used on PVC-U frames, stated again for the hardware alongside a prohibition on multi-purpose lubricants. (states this directly)
Isopropyl alcohol may damage Coated upholstery
Best avoided
The available guidance advises against this.
The harm is STAINING rather than destruction of the coating. The source lists hand sanitisers among the substances that mark a coated fabric, which is a different finding from a solvent attacking a polymer.
Evidence
Supported
Sources
ACT Coated Fabric Selection Guide for Healthcare Upholstered Seating
Association for Contract Textiles · Trade or professional body
Relied on for: That hand sanitisers are named among the substances that can stain coated fabric. (states this directly)
Precautions
- Ventilate the area
- Never mix with other cleaning products
- Check the manufacturer's instructions
- Keep away from children and pets
In detail
Isopropyl alcohol dissolves many organic residues — oils, inks, adhesives, skin oils — and evaporates rapidly and completely. That combination makes it the standard choice where water would cause harm or where no residue can be tolerated, which is why it is used on electronic contacts, optical surfaces and screens. Its limitations follow from the same properties. It is flammable, and its vapour is heavier than air, so it requires ventilation and distance from ignition sources rather than casual use near a hob or a heater. As a solvent it attacks materials as well as soils: it crazes some plastics, lifts certain paints and varnishes, and damages the anti-reflective and oleophobic coatings applied to many display screens, which is why device manufacturers frequently prohibit it despite its being effective at cleaning. Where a manufacturer's instructions address screen cleaning, those instructions govern.
Properties
- Chemical name
- Propan-2-ol
- pH
- Not applicable
What works
Isopropyl alcohol is effective against Grease Supported
Isopropyl alcohol is effective against Oil and grease on textile Strongly supported
Isopropyl alcohol is safe on, in specific conditions, Wool
Safe only in specific conditions
This is only appropriate within specific limits. Outside those limits, no claim is made.
A conditional clearance for a solvent on a protein fibre, which is rare — most guidance on wool prohibits solvents without qualification.
Only within these limits:
- Diluted — three parts surgical spirit to one part cold water for red wine, fruit and fruit juice
- Equal parts warm water and surgical spirit for alcoholic drinks
- Applied by dabbing on a lint-free cloth, working from the edge towards the centre, never rubbing
- Only after rinsing and a dilute detergent solution have been tried first
- Followed by a wash in an approved wool detergent
The wool body names surgical spirit in five of its ten stain entries and dilutes it in every one. It is the second step throughout, never the first.
Precautions
- Test on an inconspicuous area first
- Ventilate the area
Evidence
Supported
Sources
The Woolmark Company · Trade or professional body
Relied on for: That surgical spirit diluted three to one with cold water treats persistent red wine, fruit and fruit juice marks on wool; that equal parts warm water and surgical spirit treats alcoholic drinks; and that it is used for grass and for ballpoint ink, always after a first step and always followed by a wash. (states this directly)
Isopropyl alcohol is safe on, in specific conditions, Laptop keyboard
Safe only in specific conditions
This is only appropriate within specific limits. Outside those limits, no claim is made.
Only within these limits:
- 70% isopropyl alcohol with 30% water, and no other concentration is given
- applied to a microfibre cloth, damp but not dripping — never sprayed onto the device
- device powered off and disconnected from the mains, batteries out of wireless keyboards
- no moisture allowed to drip into the keys
- air dried with no visible moisture before power is restored
The manufacturer notes that even correct cleaning by this method may produce visible cosmetic changes to some finishes over time.
Precautions
- Disconnect from the power supply first
- Check the manufacturer's instructions
- Never mix with other cleaning products
Evidence
Supported
Sources
Guidance for Keeping Your Dell Technologies Equipment Clean
Dell Technologies · Manufacturer documentation
Relied on for: That the approved solution is 70% isopropyl alcohol with 30% water on a microfibre cloth that is damp but not dripping, that liquid is never sprayed directly onto the product, that the device is powered off and disconnected first, and that surfaces must air dry before power is restored. (states this directly)
Isopropyl alcohol is safe on, in specific conditions, Mobile phone
Safe only in specific conditions
This is only appropriate within specific limits. Outside those limits, no claim is made.
A device manufacturer clearing alcohol above 70% on a hard non-porous surface, which still says nothing about a coated spectacle lens.
Only within these limits:
- more than 70% isopropyl alcohol or ethanol, per the manufacturer
- applied to the CORNERS of a soft lint-free microfibre cloth, never to the phone
- phone powered down, case removed and cables unplugged first
- glass, ceramic and metal surfaces only - not leather, rubber or plastic accessories
- no moisture into any opening, and no excessive wiping
Precautions
- Disconnect from the power supply first
- Check the manufacturer's instructions
Evidence
Supported
Sources
How do I clean my Galaxy phone?
Samsung Electronics · Manufacturer documentation
Relied on for: That a disinfectant based on more than 70% ethanol or isopropyl alcohol may be used on the corners of a soft lint-free microfibre cloth, that the phone is powered down with case and cables removed, that liquids are never applied directly, and that the guidance covers glass, ceramic and metal surfaces only. (states this directly)
Guidance for Keeping Your Dell Technologies Equipment Clean
Dell Technologies · Manufacturer documentation
Relied on for: That 70% isopropyl alcohol with 30% water on a damp cloth is the approved solution for equipment surfaces, which is the same permission from a different device category. (background and mechanism only)
Why
- Isopropyl alcohol is explained by Surfactancy
By contrast: it dissolves oil directly rather than emulsifying it, which is why it leaves no residue and needs no rinse.
Hacks and claims involving this
- Following bleach with an alcohol sanitiser Does not work
- You will smell it if the fumes are dangerous Does not work
- Alcohol cleaners are gentle, so they are safe Disputed
When the obvious answer is wrong
How do I get a grease mark off suede without ruining the nap?
Suede is the porous lower split of the hide with nap on both sides, dyed like aniline and uncoated. The trade guide states that cleaning agents will immediately darken nude leather — there is no cautious first application, because the first application is the result. Water is not a safe alternative either: the guide specifies deionised water because hard water containing minerals may cause rings. And the guide separately prohibits alcohol, strong solvents, high-pH cleaners and dish detergent on leather generally, as incompatible with modern finishes.
A different kind of treatment works: Change the mechanism from dissolving to absorbing. The trade guide's instruction is to place cornstarch directly over the affected area and rub gently with a finger until it coagulates with the oil, repeating as necessary. The powder offers a finer, drier pore network than the suede, so the oil moves upward into it and leaves with it — nothing is dissolved and nothing is carried deeper. Only if the mark is still evident after that is a cloth dampened with odourless mineral spirits used, and it is the last step rather than the first. Where water is unavoidable for a water-based soil, the guide specifies dampening rather than soaking a cloth and feathering the edges outward so no boundary forms, using deionised water so no mineral ring is left behind.
What should I use on red wine spilled on a wool carpet or jumper?
Wool is a protein fibre and oxidising bleaches attack it directly, degrading the keratin rather than the stain sitting on it. The damage is structural and it is not a mark that can be cleaned off afterwards: the fibre is weakened, and on a carpet the affected area wears differently from everything around it. The wool body approaches this from the other side, warning that methods aimed primarily at cotton or synthetic garments are not all suitable for wool.
A different kind of treatment works: Change the mechanism from oxidation to dilution and dissolution, and respect the order. The wool body gives red wine, fruit and fruit juice their own entry and its sequence is three steps. First RINSE WITH CLEAN WATER — before any product, because wine is water-soluble while it is fresh and the cheapest removal happens then. Second, a DILUTE solution of an approved wool detergent. Third, and only where the mark persists, THREE PARTS SURGICAL SPIRIT TO ONE PART COLD WATER. Technique carries the rest and is stated for every entry on the page: scoop or blot the excess immediately with white tissue or an absorbent towel, work from the EDGE towards the centre, and dab rather than rub. Finish with a wash in an approved wool detergent. Where the label permits dry cleaning and the mark survives, tell the cleaner what the stain is AND what has already been applied to it — a treated stain is a different problem from an untreated one.
How do I get a greasy mark off a leather sofa arm?
The leather trade body prohibits both by name, and the reason is the finish rather than the hide. Modern leather finishes are WATER-BASED, and its banned list is built around what attacks them: any high pH cleaner, cleaners containing alcohol, strong solvents, and caustic household cleaners such as soap or dish detergent. The stated consequence is cracking or other damage to the surface. It is the same reason saddle soap and mink oil are on the list beside glass cleaner - traditional leather remedies formulated for finishes no longer used.
A different kind of treatment works: Take the dry route first, which is the trade body's own procedure and reverses the direction the oil travelled. Place CORNSTARCH over the mark and rub it gently with a finger until it coagulates with the oil, repeating as necessary. Only when the absorbent has taken what it can does anything wet follow, and then it is a cloth dampened with odourless mineral spirits rather than a household cleaner. Technique carries as much of this as product. Cleaner goes onto a clean white cotton rag and NEVER onto the leather or into a spray. Work in a circular motion under moderate pressure, and the guide gives a memorable ceiling for that pressure: no more force than a firm handshake, because scrubbing damages the leather and makes the stain harder to remove. Air dry, with no heat. Two further limits are worth knowing before starting. Deionised water is specified where water is used at all, because minerals in hard water leave rings.
How do I get grease off a vinyl seat without leaving a mark on it?
The coated-fabric trade body classifies vinyl, polyurethane and silicone coated fabrics as SOFT-SURFACE materials despite their being smooth and non-permeable, and states that hard-surface cleaners, sanitizers and disinfectants are not intended for soft surfaces and could damage them. It then names hand sanitisers among the substances that STAIN coated fabric. So the alcohol wipe that removes the grease is on the list of things that mark the seat, and the mark it leaves is not a soil sitting on the coating that can be wiped off again.
A different kind of treatment works: Take the soil off first with a soft-surface product rather than a hard-surface one, and treat cleaning and disinfecting as two operations rather than one. The trade body is explicit that they are not the same: a soil-removal product may not disinfect and a disinfectant may not remove soil, and the surface should be clean of soil BEFORE anything is sanitised or disinfected. Then rinse, which is the step this source says almost nobody performs — it observes that technicians typically do not rinse coated fabric, so product residue is the normal state of the surface rather than the exception. A residue film is what makes a cleaned vinyl seat feel tacky and pick up the next mark faster. None of this applies to ordinary fabric upholstery, which is a different material with different guidance.
Sources for this page
Sources
NIOSH Pocket Guide to Chemical Hazards
US National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), CDC · Poison or chemical-safety authority
Relied on for: That isopropyl alcohol is a flammable liquid with recognised occupational exposure considerations. (background and mechanism only)
Care and Maintenance of Stainless Steel
British Stainless Steel Association, Stainless Steel Advisory Service, 2001 · Trade or professional body
Relied on for: That hydrocarbon solvents including isopropyl alcohol are the recommended treatment for oil and grease marks on stainless steel. (states this directly)
Hazard Alert — Worker Health and Safety: Mixing Bleach with Other Cleaning Products Can Be Deadly
New Jersey Department of Health, Environmental and Occupational Health Surveillance Program · Government or regulator
Relied on for: That bleach combined with rubbing alcohol forms chloroform. (states this directly)