8 Domestic Uses of Denatured Alcohol (Methylated Spirits)

Last updated: March 24, 2024

When it comes to cleaning our homes, we can easily get lost in the many different cleaning products available, not to mention the scary-sounding ingredients these products usually contain.

Denatured alcohol, also known as methylated spirits, is a greener alternative for our everyday cleaning needs and other domestic chores. It is a highly versatile product that we can use in many different ways.

So, what is denatured alcohol exactly, and in what ways can we use this product responsibly in and around the house? Let’s examine some of the most efficient uses of denatured alcohol.

First off, denatured alcohol and methylated spirits are essentially the same thing. Depending on where you live, you may use one term or the other.

Denatured alcohol is ethanol (alcohol) that has been made unsuitable for drinking by adding additives such as methanol. Not only does that make denatured alcohol toxic, but it also gives it a bad taste and a bad smell.

The purpose of this is to prevent people from drinking it as a cheap alternative to alcoholic beverages.

Denatured alcohol is also often colored brightly (mostly purple or blue) to make it stand out and to not confuse it with alcoholic beverages or conventional cleaning products.

A Cleaning Product

While denatured alcohol is considered toxic, it is still a whole lot more environmentally friendly than most other cleaning products you will find on supermarket shelves.

These cleaning products are loaded with nasty chemicals and often do more harm than good to us. And not just to us, but also to the environment.

The everyday cleaning we do in and around the house simply doesn’t require these chemical cocktails. Most manufacturers seem to believe that the more toxic their cleaning products are, the better the cleaning results will be.

While this may be true to some extent, we are often not aware of the damage they can cause to our health and our environment.

Fortunately, in recent years, there has been a rise in eco-friendly cleaning products, such as vinegar, eucalyptus oil, and baking soda. And denatured alcohol is also considered one of these greener products.

Why Is Denatured Alcohol More Eco-Friendly?

So, why is denatured alcohol considered to be better for the environment? Denatured alcohol usually consists of mainly ethanol and methanol.

Ethanol, or ethyl alcohol, is mainly derived from grains and vegetables, and methanol, or methyl alcohol, used to be produced as a byproduct of wood stock. However, nowadays it is often derived from methane in natural gas.

This makes denatured alcohol a more sustainable alternative to other cleaning products that are overloaded with chemicals.

Rubbing Alcohol and Isopropyl Alcohol

Rubbing alcohol is a type of denatured alcohol, but typically contains less ethanol (about 70%) and more additives. Isopropyl rubbing alcohol is rubbing alcohol but with isopropyl alcohol instead of ethyl alcohol.

Rubbing alcohol is highly toxic and is unfit for human consumption. Especially isopropyl rubbing alcohol because this type of alcohol is a much different chemical than the ethyl alcohol used in alcoholic beverages.

So, how can we safely use this environment-friendly cleaning agent in and around the house?

Here are some of the best and most common denatured alcohol uses.

1. Window and Mirror Cleaning

Denatured alcohol is the perfect glass cleaner. What’s even better is that it won’t leave streaks behind, as denatured alcohol evaporates very quickly.

Make sure you dilute the denatured alcohol with water (around 50%) before using it to clean your windows. Also, it’s best to use a sprayer and use a paper towel to wipe the surface clean.

Denatured alcohol also works great to remove greasy and oily substances from your windows, or any other type of hard surfaces, such as tiles, wood, and hard plastic.

2. Remove Mildew and Mold

Mildew and mold are never welcome in your house. It thrives in humid areas where there is not enough ventilation.

Once mold is present, it’s very difficult to remove it permanently. Mold can be very harmful to our health, so it’s important to avoid or remove it.

Use a sprayer to spray the patches of mold with denatured alcohol. Let it soak in for a few minutes, and then wipe it off with a clean, damped rag. Make sure you properly dry the area after wiping it clean.

3. General House Cleaning

Dilute denatured alcohol with warm water (50%), and you can pretty much clean and sanitize your whole house, especially bathrooms, kitchens, sinks, and toilets.

Try it out, and you might be surprised how effective it is.

4. Wood Protection

Professional carpenters often mix shellac with denatured alcohol to effectively protect the wood from scratches and to give it a good finish.

Denatured alcohol also works well for sanding wood. Use it on an old cloth to wipe away any excess sawdust that may still be present after sanding. The result is a smoother surface.

5. Fuel for Oil Heaters

One very common use of denatured alcohol is by using it as an efficient fuel for oil heaters such as camping stoves. Denatured alcohol burns very cleanly, more so than other fuels.

Please keep in mind though that the flame hardly has any color and can easily be overlooked. In other words, watch out, and don’t burn yourself.

6. Clean and Remove Paint

Denatured alcohol is an excellent solvent and thinner. It can be used to remove unwanted paint (stains) from wood, and it can also be used to clean paint brushes.

Soak your used paint brushes in a denatured alcohol solution overnight and rinse them off the following day.

7. Remove Glue and Stickers

Do you have an unwanted sticker on your car windscreen? Use denatured alcohol to easily remove the sticker and any remaining residue.

It also works with glue, and even super glue, as denatured alcohol is a powerful dissolver.

8. Remove Permanent Marks or Ink Marks on Plastic

Denatured alcohol can also do a very good job of getting rid of those permanent marks on PVC plastics or whiteboards. You would be surprised how easy it is to wipe them off with the alcohol.

It can potentially also be used to remove tough ink stains from clothes or upholstery in the house. To be on the safe side, use a bit of denatured alcohol in a hidden area to make sure it won’t get ruined. Use a clean rag and only a small amount of the solution.

In the same fashion, you can also remove red wine stains from clothes. It’s recommended to soak the affected area on your shirt or dress in a denatured alcohol solution.

If the stain is not yet fully gone, use vinegar to try and remove the rest.

Hopefully this summary of denatured alcohol uses has given you some helpful ideas on how to apply this product in your household.

Denatured alcohol, or methylated spirits, comes in different varieties with different additives, but ethanol mixed with methanol as the additive is the most common form. This form of denatured alcohol can be used for the situations outlined above. Make sure you dilute the alcohol with water, depending on what you’re going to do with it.

It can’t be stressed enough that denatured alcohol is not suitable for drinking. It should only be used as a more eco-friendly household product instead of other heavily toxic (cleaning) products available in grocery stores.

Using denatured alcohol instead of other products that are more toxic is just one simple way to make a change when it comes to living a greener and more sustainable way of life.