11 health benefits of rubbing alcohol

Most people keep a bottle of rubbing alcohol in the medicine cabinet. Few, however, know what rubbing alcohol really is and how to use it.
First, there are two types of rubbing alcohol. Isopropyl is commonly made with a concentration of 70 percent alcohol and bitter additives that make the toxic substance unattractive to drink. Ethyl alcohol is made of 97.5- 100 percent denatured ethanol, which means it has been made unsafe to drink.

Rubbing alcohol is traditionally used as a disinfectant, but it has a number of benefits that you may never have considered. Here are 11 health benefits of rubbing alcohol:

1. Eliminate ticks. The key with ticks is to remove them as soon as possible. The Huffington Post recommends dabbing a cotton ball with rubbing alcohol and rubbing it around the tick. When the area is well treated, use tweezers to remove the dangerous bug.

2. Soothe mosquito bites. Relieve the painful itching of a mosquito bite by dabbing the affected site with rubbing alcohol. Watch this and 4 other tricks in action in the video below:
   Read more: 5 ways to soothe mosquito bites naturally

3. Kill bed bugs. If you've been plagued by bed bugs, follow the advice of American Pest Control and fill a spray bottle with isopropyl rubbing alcohol. Spritz the braiding of the mattress, headboard, and box springs. It works because rubbing alcohol kills the bugs on contact. Spray frequently in order to eliminate the eggs. Be careful to make sure the alcohol has dried and the room is ventilated before sleeping on the bed after spraying.

4. Kill fruit flies. Attack fruit flies by spraying them with rubbing alcohol, says Fluster Buster. Be sure your kitchen is well ventilated when you do so.

5. Remove stains. The Huffington Post suggests mixing 1 part rubbing alcohol with 2 parts water. Pour into a spray bottle and spray directly on stains. This works on everything from ink to coffee.

6. Deodorize sneakers. If your feet stink, spray the inside of your shoes with rubbing alcohol. Allow the shoes to dry overnight, as suggested by The Huffington Post. Your shoes will smell as good as new.

7. De-garlic hands. If you've been cooking and your hands reek of garlic, pour rubbing alcohol on your hands before thoroughly washing them with soap. Watch this and 3 other effective methods in the video below:
   Read more: 4 natural ways to de-garlic your hands

8. Treat sore muscles. If you have sore muscles, follow the advice of Fluster Buster and massage your legs with rubbing alcohol. This home remedy also works for painful joints.

9. Sanitize hands. Instead of using store-bought hand sanitizer, make your own using 3 parts rubbing alcohol and 1 part aloe vera, as recommended by Fluster Buster.

10. Heal cold sores. Shrink cold sores by dabbing alcohol directly on the sore, says Fluster Buster.

11. Clean eyeglasses. Fluster Buster recommends spritzing eyeglasses with rubbing alcohol and wiping them with a soft cloth for a streak-free clean.