alcohol

[cburnett]

Is it advisable to use the alcohol used for cooking also for clean my hands and sanitizing a needle or cleaning a wound?

[highway]

Is it advisable to use the alcohol used for cooking also for clean my hands and sanitizing a needle or cleaning a wound?

Denatured alcohol is great/sanitizing & sterilizing

But, dont drink it as it has been made poisonous to keep us from drinking it.

Certainly OK for occasional handcleaning, too, but some would argue no because the the compound making it poisonous can be ingested topically, through the skin. But rubbing alcohol has the chemical, too, so occasional use shouldn't hurt. I rub my feet with a little of it often at the end of a hard day...feels good!

[Peaks]

Is it advisable to use the alcohol used for cooking also for clean my hands and sanitizing a needle or cleaning a wound?

I carry alcohol prep pads for things like you mention. I wouldn't use methal alcohol.

[Sand Crab]

Is it advisable to use the alcohol used for cooking also for clean my hands and sanitizing a needle or cleaning a wound?

Check the manufacturer's label. Sure, they may be overly cautious to avoid frivilous lawsuits, but they do give you something to think about. Having worked around hazardous chemicals for years, I also would prefer to err on the side of safety. Speaking from personal experience, you definitely don't want to ingest denatured alcohol. Carry it in a distinctively different bottle from your water!

[PROFILE]

We use isopropel alcohol. It works great Here are some msds on some alcohols. May be to much info but now you will know.

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Section 3 - Hazards Identification, Including Emergency Overview
50133301 ISOPROPYL ALCOHOL

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Health Hazards Acute & Chronic: EYES: IRRITATION & CHEMICAL CONJUNCTIVITIS. SKIN: IRRITATION. INHALATION: MILD IRRITATION TO THE NOSE, THROAT & RESPIRATORY TRACT, MAY RESULT IN CNS DEPRESSION. INGESTION: IRRITATION TO GI TRACT. IF P LENTY SWALLOWED MAY CAUSE PAIN, NAUSEA & VOMITING. (SEE SUPP)

Signs & Symptoms of Overexposure:
IRRITATION, PAIN, NAUSEA, VOMITING & HEADACHE.

Medical Conditions Aggravated by Exposure:
PRE-EXISTING SKIN, EYE & RESPIRATORY DISORDERS MAY BE AGGRAVATED.

LD50 LC50 Mixture: N/P

Route of Entry Indicators:
Inhalation: YES
Skin: YES
Ingestion: NO
Carcenogenicity Indicators
NTP: NO
IARC: NO
OSHA: NO
Carcinogenicity Explanation: NONE






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Section 3 - Hazards Identification, Including Emergency Overview
DENATURED ETHYL ALCOHOL; --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Health Hazards Acute & Chronic: INHAL: MAY CAUSE IRRIT TO UPPER RESP TRACT. PRLNG EXPOS TO HIGH CONC MAY CAUSE DROW, LOSS OF APPETITE & INABILITY TO CONCENTRATE. METHYL ALCOHOL COMPONENT AFFECTS VISION BY ACTING UPON OPTIC NERVE. EX POS MAY RSLT IN VISION IMPAIRMENT OR BLINDNESS. INGEST: CAN CAUSE GASTRITIS, VOMIT, CNS DEPRESS, HDCH (EFTS OF OVEREXP)

Signs & Symptoms of Overexposure:
HLTH HAZ: & DIZZ. OTHER SYMPS MAY PARALLEL THOSE FROM INHAL EXPOS. SKIN: MAY CAUSE IRRIT. PRLNG CNTCT MAY PRDCE DISCOLORATION. SKIN ABSORPTION OF METHYL ALCOHOL COMPONENT MAY OCCUR W/SYMPS PARALLELING INHAL EXPOS. EYES: MAY CAUSE SEV IRRIT. SPLASHES MAY CAUSE PAIN, BLURRED VISION & EYE DMG. CHRONIC: PRLNG (SUPDAT)

Medical Conditions Aggravated by Exposure:
PERSONS W/PRE-EXISTING SKIN DISORDERS OR EYE PROBLEMS OR IMPAIRED KIDNEY OR RESPIRATORY FUNCTION MAY BE MORE SUSCEPTIBLE TO EFFECTS OF THE SUBSTANCE.

LD50 LC50 Mixture: SEE INGREDIENTS

Route of Entry Indicators:
Inhalation: YES
Skin: YES
Ingestion: YES
Carcenogenicity Indicators
NTP: NO
IARC: NO
OSHA: NO
Carcinogenicity Explanation: NOT RELEVANT






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Section 3 - Hazards Identification, Including Emergency Overview
REAGENT ALCOHOL DENATURED ALCOHOL, S550C.

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Health Hazards Acute & Chronic: ACUTE: POISONOUS. MAY BE FATAL IF INGESTED. CAN CAUSE NAUSEA, VOMITING, HEADACHE, DROWSINESS, DRUNKEN BEHAVIOR, FATIGUE, WEAKNESS, CONFUSION, ABDOMINAL PAIN, OR COMA. SIGNS OF EXPOSURE: NAUSEA, VOMIT ING, HEADACHE, DROWSINESS, DIZZINESS, FAINTNESS, EUPHORIA, DECREASED AWARNESS, SHORTNESS OF BREATH, LEG CRAMPS, VISUAL, DISTURBANCES, COMA, OR DEATH. CHRONIC: NONE SPECIFIED BY MANUFACTURER (FP N).

Signs & Symptoms of Overexposure:
SEE HEALTH HAZARDS (FP N).

Medical Conditions Aggravated by Exposure:
RESPIRATORY, CORONARY, AND LIVER CONDITIONS.

LD50 LC50 Mixture: N/P

Route of Entry Indicators:
Inhalation: YES
Skin: YES
Ingestion: YES
Carcenogenicity Indicators
NTP: NO
IARC: NO
OSHA: NO
Carcinogenicity Explanation: NONE

[Cehoffpauir]

A past thru-hiker told me he used isopropyl alcohol to kill ticks on his body, and claimed he did not get Lyme disease though he knew "a bunch of people" who did. Does anyone know how effective isop is on ticks?

(This post may belong elsewhere.)