Alcohol swabs are gauze swabs that are saturated with 70% isopropyl alcohol and are used to disinfect cuts, scrapes and intact skin. The alcohol swabs usually are prepackaged so that alcohol doesn’t evaporate on exposure to the environment and retains its properties when it has to be used. Alcohol swabs are used to make sure the skin, cut or scrape is free of contamination which could lead to potential infections. These alcohol swabs are used in clinics, nursing homes, hospitals, vaccination set ups and first aid kits to quickly and efficiently disinfect the area to be treated. Alcohol swabs are for external use only and are usually disposable.

1. Alcohol swabs are intended for single use only
2. Disinfecting the area before a injection or drawing blood reduces the chances of infection
3. The discarded alcohol swab that contains traces of blood should be considered as biomedical waste.