99% Isopropyl Alcohol - Where to buy locally...

bvy · May 25, 2015

The chain drugstores don't seem to have 99% isopropyl alcohol -- not even behind the counter. I can order it from Amazon, but it seems someplace locally should have it. Where else can I try? Thanks.

Ken Nadvornick · May 25, 2015

My wife buys mine from the grocery store. Very inexpensive. I mostly use it as a glass cleaner and mild adhesive dissolver. But I've noticed it also quickly dissolves whatever is the whitener in roll paper towels, leaving a white residue on fingers and everything else.

Ken

AgX · May 25, 2015

Any pharmacist making potions themselves should have a large jug in their lab.
Thus they could sell you from that.

winger · May 25, 2015

With the odd alcohol laws in PA, maybe a state store? Which doesn't help today, of course. I just wonder if that's high enough they've taken it over with the "real" alcohols? Though I could have sworn I'd gotten some at Walmart before.

gone · May 25, 2015

You could try this method to get the water out safely w/o heating the alcohol

http://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-Salt-Out/

Not sure about the purity, but as someone mentioned in the comments you could always filter it.

Rick A · May 25, 2015

winger said:
With the odd alcohol laws in PA, maybe a state store? Which doesn't help today, of course. I just wonder if that's high enough they've taken it over with the "real" alcohols? Though I could have sworn I'd gotten some at Walmart before.

You're right about Pa. having weird alcohol laws. I tried to buy 190 proof everclear to use as a solvent and was told(at the state store) "not in this state". Highest proof everclear available is (IIRC) 180. You should be able to get the 99% isopropyl from a pharmacist. I have an old school chum who is a compounding pharmacist(he has a business making specialized meds for doctors and dentists, not a pharmacy ) who supplies me.

semi-ambivalent · May 25, 2015

Check out paint supply stores, the ones where commercial/auto painters buy their stuff. You should be able to get it by the gallon, and cheap too.

s-a

Rick A · May 25, 2015

semi-ambivalent said:
Check out paint supply stores, the ones where commercial/auto painters buy their stuff. You should be able to get it by the gallon, and cheap too.

s-a

I believe they only sell "denatured" alcohol, which is methyl alcohol mixed with a substance to render it toxic, usually an oil which leaves a residue.

Michael W · May 25, 2015

I bought mine on ebay (Sydney), came from a place that was selling supplies to people for body piercing and tattooing, so there might be something like that in your area.

J. P. · May 25, 2015

Try an auto parts store. It`s called "dry gas".

desertrat · May 25, 2015

Similar to "dry gas" is a product called "Iso Heet".

It's anhydrous isopropanol, but has a small amount of rust inhibitor which seems to be a petroleum distillate.

Any alcohol product sold to absorb the moisture from automotive fuel systems will probably have additives.

These may or may not render the product unsuitable for your uses depending on what they are.

gordrob · May 25, 2015

Try the Costco Pharmacy. I got mine there. Came in a four pack of 500ml bottles.

Bruce Osgood · May 25, 2015

I'd try a different drug store. Unless Pa's drug and alochol laws prohibits the sale of isopropyl there's no good reason a local drug store wouldn't carry it as a stock item.

AgX · May 25, 2015

winger said:
With the odd alcohol laws in PA, maybe a state store?

What have alcohol laws to do with Isopropanol?

Rick A · May 25, 2015

Most pharmacies here in Pa. only carry 50% or 91% on the shelves, the state liquor sales (anything alcohol related) is governed by antiquated "blue" laws. These were set in place when this was a religious colony. We still can't hunt on Sunday as it would interfere with people going to church. You can't but beer or wine on Sunday unless it's in a restaurant( or a maximum of two six packs from a restaurant) and the state owns the liquor store. No convenience store sales of beer or wine. Thy have tried to legislate morality (unsuccessfully) here forever.

DWThomas · May 25, 2015

AgX said:
What have alcohol laws to do with Isopropanol?

It says "alcohol" on the bottle! We've only in the last few years started allowing sale of wine on Sunday -- Prohibition ended in 1933 and we don't like to rush things! Anything stronger than beer is sold through a state run store system, with the exception that wineries within the state can sell their own wines with some restriction.

Signed: A long time Pennsylvania resident

George Nova Scotia · May 25, 2015

Rick A said:
I believe they only sell "denatured" alcohol, which is methyl alcohol mixed with a substance to render it toxic, usually an oil which leaves a residue.

Methyl alcohol is toxic it is often used to denature ethyl alcohol (the drinkable kind - moonshine). Methyl alcohol is poisonous to drink and is even harmful when absorbed through the skin.

StephenT · May 25, 2015

I was going to ask the OP whether denatured alcohol would suit his purpose. I've used it as a cleaning solution without issue. I haven't seen any evidence of an oily substance remaining - I get mine from Lowe's in the paint department.

Everclear 190 is great, but pricey if you don't need the absolute purity. I use it to sterilize wind instrument reeds.

bvy · May 25, 2015

Wow! I didn't figure PA's blue laws could possibly figure into this, but I've been here sixteen years now, and guess I should have guessed! Maybe I'll try a few more pharmacies. My need is the occasional cleaning of color negative film, without having to put it through Kodak Final Rinse again...

DWThomas · May 25, 2015

bvy said:
Wow! I didn't figure PA's blue laws could possibly figure into this, but I've been here sixteen years now, and guess I should have guessed! Maybe I'll try a few more pharmacies. My need is the occasional cleaning of color negative film, without having to put it through Kodak Final Rinse again...

I actually doubt that is the case, but not much surprises me any more. Isopropyl alcohoi is not drinkable (for anyone who wants to stay healthy) so I doubt it's under the state store system.

I do seem to recall that the purest levels of isopropanol are hygroscopic, absorbing moisture from the air, so they may not stay 99% for very long in use.

SMBooth · May 25, 2015

Drop into your local off-set printer, they use it by the 200l drum for clean print rollers.

Photo Engineer · May 25, 2015

IDK if this has been posted here, but do NOT use any i-PA for film purposes if it forms a cloudy mixture with water. Some states (our countries) add it to various "types" of iPA to denature it. This cloudy form can harm film.

There is a lengthy thread on this regarding types of ethanol and i-propanol and denaturants.

PE

AgX · May 26, 2015

Why would one add denaturants/repellants to Isopropanol?

It is not consumable in itself. And thus not specially taxed here.

bvy · May 26, 2015

Photo Engineer said:
IDK if this has been posted here, but do NOT use any i-PA for film purposes if it forms a cloudy mixture with water. Some states (our countries) add it to various "types" of iPA to denature it. This cloudy form can harm film.

There is a lengthy thread on this regarding types of ethanol and i-propanol and denaturants.

PE

Thanks. Sounds like a good simple test. Incidentally, I'm taking advice from a Kodak pub that says to use isopropyl alcohol of at least 98% purity to clean film.

Photo Engineer · May 26, 2015

AgX said:
Why would one add denaturants/repellants to Isopropanol?

It is not consumable in itself. And thus not specially taxed here.

You are right, but I have found denatured iPA on shelves labeled denatured rubbing alcohol. Maybe some misguided people drink it, IDK, but I have seen people drink sterno!

PE

99% Isopropyl Alcohol - Where to buy locally...

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