Ahoy When I see the term "rubbing alcohol" mentioned, does it matter if it's the ethanol-based or the isopropyl-based? I hereby have the safety of our precious razors in mind, eg. Finish, metal and possible danger to those.
I use Barbacide to clean them with. Everyone that comes through here gets cleaned twice. Once one the way in, and on the way out. Cleans the pogees out of every razor thats been set in it.
I've seen threads on the Barbacide also. Seems to work great for many, proffs. also. But as to whether the Rubbing alcohol is the one or the other or perhaps it doesn't matter - that's the question. Maybe rubbing alcohol is only one type in the USA and that's why it isn't specified. Here in Denmark it can be one or another. Hence my question Those of you who use Rubbing alcohol, what is the main ingredient?
In the U.S., one can find both ethanol-based & isopropanol based "rubbing alcohol". Both work well for sanitizing, but isopropyl alcohol (same as isopropanol) is much more widely available. Most often the solution is 70% of the alcohol and 30% distilled water. One can also find 50% & 90+% alcohol solutions, but the 70% is what is used in most healthcare & houshd settings. I can't speak to how different metals hold up in ethanol vs isopropanol. In the presence of an acid, isopropanol will oxide to acetone.
I'll assume that it's the isopropyl-based solution that people are refering to then, when speaking of Rubbing alcohol - given that it's more available. I don't know what's most available here on this side of the ocean, but I do know that the kind I have in the cabinet is the ethanol-based. Thanks for a clearification!
I can't speak for anyone else in the US of A, but until reading this post, I had no idea there was rubbing alcohol that wasn't isopropyl.
Alcohol (ethanol) is most effective for sanitation in the ratio it typically comes to the consumer, at 70% -OH/water. For some reason, anti-microbial action decreases, if only slightly, for most bacteria as the alcohol constiuent rises above 70%. A good sanitizer. Isopropyl, I don't know. If you're using hot water, have cleaned the blade and doused in either, I can't imagine problems, esp if you're not sharing the blade with others (why barbers today no longer use the old straights we appreciate so much). One point worth mentioning, I doubt if infection from the blade is nearly as common as infection from bacteria already on the face. IMO, it's almost fool-proof to wash your face real well with soap and water prior to beginning lathering, rinsing well. Soap doesn't KILL microbes, it simply solvates their 'glue' and allows them to be washed down the drain. Serious infections throughout history have been common from the most minor of skin breaks (mosquito bites, splinters, hangnails, very minor cuts) because the skin was dirty with many colonies of microbes. One of the first guys antibiotics was tested on had a potentially leathal infection from a small shaving nick. One of the guys involved in the King Tut tomb discovery died of an infected mosquito bite (most likely from the active colonies on his skin, not from the mosquito, as he scratched the site, letting the microbes in), on and on. As for the effects of the two, or other sanitizers, on the razor steel and materials, maybe someone on the forum can offer some insight. There may be something to consider on things like bluing, gold washes, scale material, etc., I just don't have a clue. Now if want to STEARILIZE, formaldehyde (PLEASE DON'T try it)...
Noooooo! Lord Carnarvon was killed by the disturbed spirit of King Tutankhamen. On this matter, I will not be swayed by the facts. *fingers in ears* La la la laaaaa!
Either will be safe for steel. Both react to aluminum to create aluminum isopropoxide. Both should not affect gold or chrome plating, or steel. My fiance is an epidemiologist and her recommendations for sterilizing are boiling water or plain soap and water.
I spoke to my mother (she's a dentist where they use it) and she told me that the 70% was mostly isopropyl and the 90-something% was ethanol. Not as a rule, but mostly. Reason I'm asking at first, is that I was reading lots of posts regarding cleaning old razors and I saw the rubbing alcohol. Having _no clue_ what it was I google'd it and found it was something we here in Denmark call "Hospitalssprit" (= hospital spirit), denatured alcohol or plain alcohol, depending who you ask. And I then read that it could exist of either or the other. Giving my newfound knowledge I was curious as to whether one or the other was to prefer or maybe even banned. If you in Denmark want to get isopropyl alcohol you get exactly that (we have it in bottles with that label). But we can also get the "Hospitalssprit" and that can be either one.
