Does alcohol disinfectant need to be diluted with water?

Sep 20, 2024 Source: Cainiu Health
Dr. Yang Ziqi
Introduction
In general, whether alcohol for disinfection needs to be diluted with water depends on its concentration. If the alcohol concentration is 95%, it is usually recommended to dilute it with water to 75%. If the alcohol concentration is already 75%, it has strong coagulating and penetrating effects on pathogens and provides effective sterilization; in this case, dilution is generally not recommended, and the solution can be used directly.

Generally, whether alcohol for disinfection needs to be diluted with water depends on its concentration. If the alcohol concentration is 95%, it is usually recommended to dilute it with water to 75%. If the concentration is already 75%, additional water is typically not needed. The detailed explanation is as follows:

Alcohol is a volatile and flammable liquid that primarily serves functions such as disinfection, fever reduction, and sedation. When the alcohol concentration is 95%, it is generally recommended to dilute it with water to 75%. Excessively high alcohol concentrations accelerate protein denaturation, forming a tough layer of denatured protein on the bacterial surface, which reduces the effectiveness of alcohol in killing germs.

When the alcohol concentration is 75%, it has strong coagulating and penetrating effects on pathogens, resulting in effective sterilization. Therefore, dilution with water is usually unnecessary, and the solution can be used directly.

As alcohol is flammable, it should be kept away from heat sources or open flames to prevent fire hazards.

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