Isopropyl alcohol is poisonous. Shouldn't it be avoided when cleaning or sanitizing pipes?
This is a valid concern. And I should point out up front, that I am not a chemist or physician. But here is my take on the matter.
Isopropyl alcohol, also known as rubbing alcohol, is normally used for topical application. It is toxic when taken internally in sufficient amounts (e.g., if one were drinking it as though it were vodka). However, the trace amount that possibly would be present when used to clean or sanitize pipes is not enough to cause concern.
Of course, one shouldn't saturate his pipes continually with large amounts of isopropyl alcohol. But using tiny amounts to effectively clean and/or sanitize a pipe should not cause a problem. In fact, one reason I like to use isopropyl alcohol is because it evaporates quickly and completely, leaving no discernible residue. If minuscule traces of alcohol do remain in the pipe after you let it dry, it's possible that one might detect the smell and taste of alcohol. But even here, if the pipe were smoked, the residue would quickly evaporate or burn off from the heat of combustion. But in my understanding, any negligible amount of isopropyl ingested in this fashion--especially if you're not inhaling--is absolutely harmless.
As a simple example, if isopropyl fumes were harmful in such tiny amounts, then one would suffer toxic effects from simply opening the bottle and catching that initial strong whiff.
Now having said all that, I should also point out that there is absolutely nothing wrong with using Everclear or other consumable spirits to clean your pipes. I have used vodka and rum upon occasion with very good results. The downside is that it is much more expensive than simple rubbing alcohol.
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