What type of alcohol should I use when cleaning or sanitizing pipes?
I use
different types of alcohol for different purposes. For
thorough cleaning, sterilizing, and sanitizing, I prefer to use
medical grade Isopropyl Alcohol, which is 91% alcohol. It's extremely potent, evaporates quickly, provides a very high level of purity, and really does a great job.
For slightly less intense needs, such as
light cleaning or even for "sweetening" a pipe, I occasionally use
Rum 151. This is very high quality (and somewhat expensive) rum with 75.5% alcohol. This also has a strong sanitizing effect, but the sweetness of the rum helps eliminate any potential medicinal tastes that may be produced by the Isopropyl alcohol.
Lastly, for
occasional pipe maintenance and sweetening, I have used
Vodka (50% alcohol) or lower quality Rum (40% alcohol). These do a great job for basic monthly cleanings and also have a moderate sanitizing effect.
If you prefer not to use alcohol at all, there are numerous
commercial "pipe sweetening" products available from many tobacconists and online pipe shops.
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