Is ethyl alcohol the same as isopropyl alcohol? This is one of the questions that our users ask themselves when they are looking for the best component for cleaning their spaces.

When it comes to a process that can damage our objects or surfaces we pay more attention to details, and that is why in Ecosoluciones Químicas we give you the keys to differentiate isopropyl alcohol from alcohol with 96% purity. Go ahead!

What are ethyl alcohol and isopropyl alcohol?

To know the differences between ethyl alcohol and isopropyl alcohol, it is essential to know what each of them consists of and what their main characteristics are. Are you ready to write it all down? Then read on.

On the one hand, ethyl alcohol (also called “ethanol”) is a naturally occurring or vegetable alcohol that is mainly used in beauty or cosmetic products as a preservative, but also as an ingredient in many cleaning products due to its disinfectant power.

On the other hand, isopropyl alcohol (also called “propanol”) is a chemical compound with high cleaning power and flammability, which is used for cleaning various types of surfaces. Therefore, it is widely used in the pharmaceutical industry, automotive industry and in the most difficult to clean areas.

Isopropyl alcohol vs. 96-propyl alcohol: main differences

So far, we understand that ethyl alcohol and isopropyl alcohol are not the same because of their origin and composition, but also because of the different uses to which they are put. At this point, we summarize the key differences between them:

Purity level

While ethyl alcohol or ethanol is 96% pure, isopropyl alcohol is 99.9% pure, making it the perfect component to effectively remove all dirt from surfaces. In addition, this allows it to be less harmful than ethyl alcohol.

Alcohol manufacture

Ethanol is a product of vegetable origin, as its composition is created through vegetable fermentation or by the hydration of ethylene with formula C2H5OH, and propanol is created through a set of chemical compositions, with formula C3H8O.