Rubbing alcohol can be harsh on certain items and will even ruin them if used often.

The alcohol eats away at the paint, causing discoloration or even chipped paint spots.

Mock recommends using a mild soap and water toclean painted areasand keep them intact.

Pouring rubbing alcohol into a yellowed plastic container

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Wood Furniture

According to Bossart, rubbing alcohol is too harsh on wood surfaces.

Rubbing alcohol can strip varnish or paint and leave a dull, damaged surface, she says.

Cleaning a painted wall

The Spruce / Ulyana Verbytska

If the finish or protective layer of the wood is gone, it can quickly become compromised and rot.

Instead, Bossart recommends using a gentler cleaner of dish soap and water.

Natural Stone

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Hold off oncleaning your marble countertopswith rubbing alcohol.

Water and sponge on marble countertop

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Rubbing alcohol can cause discoloration, warping, or brittleness in some plastics, especially acrylic.

Alcohol can dry out the leather and cause cracking over time, Bossart says.

For small stains, warm water and dish soap should do the trick.

Dabbing the ink stain on the leather with a clean cloth

The Spruce / Sanja Kostic

Otherwise, a leather conditioner is great for maintenance and deep cleaning.

Its unnecessary to use a strong cleaning agent [on electronics], Varela says.

Instead, use a cloth slightly damp with water to clean electronic screens and monitors.

large flat-screen tv on tv stand

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you might also use a commercial screen cleaner product and soft cloth to clean these items.

What Items Can Be Cleaned with Rubbing Alcohol?

Rubbing alcohol works wonders on sticky surfaces andremoving sapor residue from items.

Hardy household surfaces, such as tiled floors orbathroom fixtures, are also good spots to use rubbing alcohol.

The rubbing alcohol works quickly to disinfect and evaporates quickly so theres no need to rinse with water.

Just a tiny bit is enough to clean and sanitize.