Will 70 isopropyl alcohol melt plastic?
99% Isopropyl Alcohol
However, rapid evaporation does have a downside in that the shelf life of this mixture is not as long as other IPA mixtures. Both the 70% & 99% mixtures are non corrosive to metals and are plastic safe too.
Even though it may seem like a good idea to clean and remove scuff marks on plastic with rubbing alcohol, it can crack and discolor acrylic and plastic. The result: A damaged item with a crack or hole that can serve as a breeding ground for bacteria.
In short, PET, HDPE, LDPE, PP, PPS and PTFE are all suitable for storage of ethanol or isopropanol, the two most common hand sanitizing agents. Most travel cosmetics bottles or reused cosmetic/household bottles will be one of these.
It's best to avoid using any isopropyl mixture below 90% on circuit boards and other electrical bits. If you're simply cleaning the adhesive off something metal or plastic, 70% might do in a pinch, but you'll want to be sure not to spill it onto circuits or wires.
The leaching effects of plastic and plastic chemical substances (such as ethylene glycol) have the tendency to leach considerably into alcohol stored if the temperature goes up during storage, the order said.
Avoid using any rubbing alcohol on painted, shellacked, lacquered, or varnished surfaces, including treated wood. Certain fabrics: The isopropyl in alcohol can be a great stain treatment on certain fabrics, removing all evidence of difficult stains like ink, grass, grease, or sap.
I will list my answers by the resin code, or "recycling symbol", found on most plastic items: Poly(ethylene terephthalate), PET or PETE - PET is not very soluble in ethanol or isopropanol, but prolonged exposure may cause crazing or stiffening due to the dissolution of plasticizers.
Isopropyl Alcohol (especially if you used 90-91%) attacks some plastic or removes the sheen on some plastics and leaves behind a residue that cannot be removed by cleaning. It's permanent.
To clean surfaces, both alone and as a component of a general-purpose cleaner, or as a solvent. 99% isopropyl alcohol has the benefit of being non-corrosive to metals or plastics, so it can be used widely, on all surfaces, and won't leave smears, even on glass or screens.
These alcohols do not dissolve the plastics in large extent, like acetone often does, but they may corrupt surfaces, especially if they are shiny or polished. The typical case is compact polystyren or polymethylmethacrylate, that are often clear and shiny, where the white milky haze is very well visible.
Can I pour 70 isopropyl alcohol down the drain?
If you pour 1 cup (240 mL) of rubbing alcohol down the drain, be sure to flush it out with 10 to 20 cups (2,400 to 4,700 mL) of water afterwards. Never pour rubbing alcohol into a storm sewer. Many standard rubbing alcohol containers are over 50% concentrated, so this option might not work for everyone.
Poly(ethylene terephthalate), PET or PETE - PET is not very soluble in ethanol or isopropanol, but prolonged exposure may cause crazing or stiffening due to the dissolution of plasticizers. High-Density polyethylene, HDPE - HDPE is resistant to most things.
In the case of isopropyl alcohol , properly called propan-2-ol, it's weakly polar and does dissolve quite a few (mostly) non-polar compounds including some plastics. It's a lot less aggressive than acetone which has a very high dipole moment and will quickly dissolve polystyrene for example.