Article Stating That 70% Isopropyl Alcohol is a Better Disinfectant than 99%

[olkofri]

No worries, man. No offense taken.

 

[brian64]

I used to work in the food industry. Want to know what the FDA considers acceptable in food production?

The FDA considers a lot of things acceptable that I don't...in the medical/pharmaceutical industry as well as food.

On a side note, what amazes me is the vast majority of people (including myself) don't think twice about using eating utensils at restaurants.

Every now and then I do think about it though...and it does kind of creep me out a little. You have to have blind faith that those things have been properly washed.

 

[olkofri]

The FDA considers a lot of things acceptable that I don't...in the medical/pharmaceutical industry as well as food.

On a side note, what amazes me is the vast majority of people (including myself) don't think twice about using eating utensils at restaurants.

Every now and then I do think about it though...and it does kind of creep me out a little. You have to have blind faith that those things have been properly washed.

But then you go buying and smoking used pipes!! ???

 

[diamondback]

I'm a scientist. A very very dirty 50s Charatan consumed all of my alcohol while cleaning yesterday. I made a point to stock up on my pipe cleaning supplies in lab today. A half-liter of pure methanol and a half-liter of isopropanol, each pure 100%.

A chemist will tell you, strictly speaking, that cleaning a pipe is a question of the appropriate solvents. It's all 'chromatography' in a sense, i.e. the leaching of various materials in the appropriate solvent. Tars and gunk (generically speaking) are materials of various molecular weights and solubilities and they leach out to varying degrees in the appropriate solvents.

Smoking from a properly-dried pipe that was cleaned with isopropanol (rubbing alcohol) or methanol (wood alcohol) is less dangerous, and represents less exposure than cleaning a wound with an alcohol (isopropanol) wipe or touching wood alcohol while finishing up a countertop after sanding.

I mentioned earlier: gunk and germs are two different things. I think most of us are cleaning pipes. Nobody I know has ever caught a disease from a pipe, or even a toilet seat for that matter. Nevertheless, appropriately cleaning a pipe will almost entirely sanitize that pipe.

I'll close by saying that alcohols are safe for cleaning pipes, and disinfecting them if you're in need of that particular reassurance, however you should be sure that they are properly dried after a few hours, and you should be absolutely sure if you use Ethanol that it does NOT contain the bittering agent denatonium (read the ingredients; if in doubt, don't use). Furthermore these following solvents are not recommended: acetone (unless you're completely stripping your briar; it may damage your stem and remove any paint thereon), chloroform, heptane, hexane, pentane, toluene, or xylene. Pure chemicals marked 1-Propanol and 2-Propanol are acceptable, and in fact 2-Propanol is iso-Propanol. Obviously do not use kerosene or gasoline.

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Great post! Thank you

 

[brian64]

But then you go buying and smoking used pipes!! ???

Not me brother...I've never purchased an estate pipe. I leave that to the rest of these germ-laden dudes around here.

 

[diamondback]

Not me brother...I've never purchased an estate pipe. I leave that to the rest of these germ-laden dudes around here.

I’ll have some hitting the board soon.

You will get this message: “These are the estates you’re looking for.” (Jedi skillz). lol

 

[Chasing Embers]

But then you go buying and smoking used pipes!! ???

People often test the draw on new pipes at B&Ms before purchasing.

 

[brian64]

People often test the draw on new pipes at B&Ms before purchasing.

I always wash the stem on a new pipe before using it.

 

[Chasing Embers]

I always wash the stem on a new pipe before using it.

Same, I'm just messin' with olkofri.?

 

[olkofri]

Not me brother...I've never purchased an estate pipe. I leave that to the rest of these germ-laden dudes around here.

*Olkofri hi5's brian64

People often test the draw on new pipes at B&Ms before purchasing.

Worse: the makers blow through them as part of the finishing process. Man, I wish I could do more than just a vodka swab to my new pipes, like put them in an autoclave or something. ?

 

[Chasing Embers]

Man, I wish I could do more than just a vodka swab to my new pipes, like put them in an autoclave or something. ?

I just give them a bath in antimicrobial soap.?

 

[tbradsim1]

In how I see it Penetration is better with 70%, but I’m not worried about this, cleaning is the goal. I use Everclear anyway.