This Is Why You Should Always Have Rubbing Alcohol In Your Home

Chances are that when you were growing up, your parents had a bottle of rubbing alcohol somewhere in the cabinets or bathroom that they broke out for first aid purposes, and you undoubtedly pass the bottles at your local pharmacy while on the hunt for other things. But did you know that rubbing alcohol is incredibly versatile and can be used for a whole host of household and emergency situations beyond simply sanitizing that scraped knee?

As it turns out, there are whole host of other things alcohol is great at sanitizing beyond minor cuts and scrapes (via Medical News Today). You can use rubbing alcohol to disinfect and sanitize hard surfaces like kitchen counters, sinks, toilet seats, and doorknobs. You can also use it to help eliminate germs on electronic devices by wiping down keyboards, smartphones, and remote controls (things that people touch and touch and touch some more) with rubbing alcohol and a soft or microfiber cloth.  

Did you know that rubbing alcohol is actually a great deodorizer? Sure it smells pretty strong itself at first, but as soon as it evaporates, the alcohol smell disappears along with whatever unpleasant smell you are trying to eliminate (via Medical News Daily). You can wipe alcohol directly onto your underarms to eliminate odor-causing bacteria (although you might not want to do this immediately after shaving as it can sting). You can also use it to deodorize fabrics, soft furniture, carpets, and even shoes! Simply put the alcohol into a spray bottle, mist over the offending area (or inside of the shoes) and wait for it to dry. Once dry, both the alcohol and the smell should be gone without a trace. 

And another way to use rubbing alcohol is to safely remove pine sap from your car's windshield or paint job (via Your Mechanic). When sap drips onto your car, you might tempted to try scrubbing it off or using a harsh cleaner, but this can damage the finish on your car (and doesn't always make much of a dent in the super-sticky sap). Instead, soak a soft rag with alcohol and let it sit on the sap for a minute or so until the sap starts to break down, then rub the alcohol over the area until the sap is fully removed. Rinse well and dry to make sure no alcohol is left behind to damage the paint.