Surely you have noticed – whether in pharmacies, supermarkets or chemical product stores in Colombia – that there are several types of alcohol for sale. The main difference that you will notice is that the degrees vary from one to the other.

But what does this difference in degrees mean and what is the correct use of each type of alcohol? At CHEM FLUID we have prepared this blog to explain what extra neutral alcohol is and how it is compared to alcohol 70, in this way you will be able to know what each one is for and use them properly. Don't stop reading us!

What is extra neutral alcohol?

Before talking to you about this topic, it is important to tell you that within chemistry three types of alcohol are recognized:

1. Isopropyl
2. Methyl
3. Ethyl

All three are toxic and only ethyl alcohol can be consumed by humans. Now yes, extra neutral alcohol, also known as 96° ethyl alcohol or ethanol, is colorless and flammable. To give you a better idea, this type of alcohol is used as the main raw material by industries in Colombia and the world for the production of liquors, perfumes, some cosmetics and other chemical products for industrial use.

This type of alcohol is obtained through the fermentation of grains and is of the highest quality because it has been subjected to such a rectification process that its total content of impurities is very low and it has also been carried out at no less than 96° alcoholimetric.

What is the difference between extra neutral alcohol and alcohol 70?

Knowing the proper use of each one can be confusing, since both are ethyl alcohols, that's why we tell you the main differences:

• 70° alcohol or medicinal alcohol: As you can imagine from its name, this type of alcohol is for pharmaceutical use and is formulated to prevent the reproduction of bacteria. This antimicrobial capacity is due to the fact that it can denature the proteins of microorganisms. This alcohol is the one that we generally have at home in our medicine cabinet and it is the one that works as an antiseptic since it helps us in case of first aid for cuts and/or wounds, disinfection and cleaning of body areas.
• Extra neutral alcohol: due to its high concentration, this chemical product can be very aggressive, which is why its direct use on the skin as an antiseptic is not recommended, but it can be a great ally to clean and disinfect surfaces.

How to use each type of alcohol correctly?

Due to the situation that arose as a result of the pandemic caused by COVID-19, it is now common to see people carrying their bottle of antibacterial gel or alcohol to disinfect their hands in case they cannot wash them with soap and water. But do we know if we are using the right one?

Understanding the difference that we have just mentioned about the uses of each type of alcohol, the first thing we must consider is that a disinfectant is a chemical product used to disinfect objects, surfaces, and even the environment itself. And, on the other hand, an antiseptic is a chemical product used to control the proliferation of microorganisms on the skin and other living tissues without significantly affecting them.

The alcohol that we must use for our day to day is 70 ° since it is the one that best fulfills the bactericidal function and destroys around 90% of bacteria found on the skin. In addition, this type of alcohol is more diluted, being less irritating and more effective on our skin.

On the other hand, extra neutral or 96° alcohol is more concentrated but not necessarily more effective for our skin, because it causes great dehydration in the cells and therefore rapid evaporation that makes disinfection purposes difficult.

Now that you know this, don't get carried away by the numbers! Use each type of alcohol for the purpose for which it was created. If you want to know these and other types of alcohol and chemical products that we have in CHEM FLUID, be sure to visit our portfolio or contact us for more information.