Home >> Science & Nature >> Science

What Is the Difference Between Rubbing Alcohol & Peroxide?

Rubbing alcohol and hydrogen peroxide are both commonly found in home medicine cabinets, first aid kits and doctor's offices. Although they look similar and are both used for sterilization, they are very different chemicals with different properties. Hydrogen peroxide is a compound of oxygen and hydrogen, while rubbing alcohol is a highly toxic form of alcohol.

Peroxide
- Peroxide is a chemical compound consisting of two oxygen atoms bonded to another element. Hydrogen peroxide, for example, is composed of two oxygen atoms and one hydrogen atom. The French chemist Louis Jacques Thenard discovered hydrogen peroxide, or "oxygenated water," in 1818. His early work with hydrogen peroxide showed that it causes painful but temporary blotches on the skin and that has explosive reactions when it comes in contact with metal oxides.
Uses
- One of the first uses of hydrogen peroxide was cleaning sulfur compounds from the surface of old paintings. Today, hydrogen peroxide has a wide number of uses such as a fuel additive in jets, rockets and submarines, bleaching wool, cotton and other fibers, bleaching hair and washing electronic components. Dentists use hydrogen peroxide for treating and cleaning mouth sores and preventing infections. It is also an ingredient in mouth washes and tooth whitening products. In the 1990s, hospitals began using hydrogen peroxide fueled sterilizers for disinfecting sensitive medical instruments.
Rubbing Alcohol
- Rubbing alcohol, also called isopropyl alcohol and isopropanol, is a clear, combustible liquid. It is made by combining water with the chemical propylene. Isopropyl alcohol can catch on fire in the presence of high heat and open flames and can explode in the presence of heat and light. Isopropyl alcohol is more toxic than ethanol, or drinking alcohol, and consuming it can be fatal.
Uses
- Rubbing alcohol has a variety of uses. For example, the name rubbing alcohol comes from its use in massages, medical rubdowns and athletic training. The alcohol helps the skin's moisture evaporate, which cools the the skin and lowers the body temperature. Doctors once recommended rubbing alcohol for lowering fevers in children. However, we now know that rapidly cooling a fever patient can cause adverse effects so it is no longer recommended. Rubbing alcohol is a strong germ killer and is used for cleaning the skin before injections and cleaning minor wounds. Rubbing alcohol is also a strong solvent and can be used for removing ink stains and glue and for cleaning computer keyboards, mouse wheels and vinyl records.

Science