Wondering if you should avoid ethyl alcohol in cleaning products? 

In this article, we’re breaking down everything you need to know about this common chemical, including why it’s used in cleaning products, and why we use a small amount in our Glass Cleaner. 

What Is Ethyl Alcohol?

A quick search of “what is ethyl alcohol” might leave you scratching your head. 

That’s because ethyl alcohol goes by a few different names—it can also be referred to as ethanol or just alcohol. It is a versatile chemical that can be used to create everything from alcoholic beverages to fuel for our cars. To keep things simple, let’s start with how it’s made.

Ethyl alcohol is a chemical compound that can be made from different grains or crops; the most common options include corn or sugar cane. The starch in these materials is fermented using yeast to create ethyl alcohol.

When ethyl alcohol becomes fuel for our cars or goes into conventional cleaning products, there are often additional chemicals added to it to make it unsafe to consume, whereas food-grade alcohol is designed to be safe to consume. 

Why is Ethyl Alcohol Used in Cleaning Products?

Ethyl alcohol is highly effective at degreasing and general cleaning, making it a useful compound for cleaning products. 

It also acts as an effective preservative and helps ingredients mix together in formulas. 

It’s commonly used in glass cleaners because it is fast-evaporating and can dissolve grease and oils (think: fingerprints and smudges!) without leaving streaks. 

Why Haven’t We Included Ethyl Alcohol Before?

Branch Basics hasn’t typically included ethyl alcohol in our formulas because it hasn’t been necessary for our products. 

Our Glass Cleaner was formulated to withstand the extended supply chain at retail stores, which meant including a very small amount of organic, food-grade ethyl alcohol. 

We understand that ingredient-conscious customers may notice this and have questions, which is why we’re unpacking the safety of ethyl alcohol, how it’s used in our Glass Cleaner, and our commitment to putting human safety above all else when creating our products.

Is Ethyl Alcohol Safe?

According to the EWG (Environmental Working Group, which we consult for product safety), Ethyl Alcohol is rated a 1—this is the safest ranking it can have. 

When we created our Glass Cleaner, the type of ethyl alcohol we used mattered to us, as we wanted to choose the safest option possible. That’s why the ethyl alcohol we chose is an organic, food-grade ethyl alcohol with no additives. 

Because of this, our Glass Cleaner still meets our strict standards for keeping products human-safe for even the most sensitive groups, including babies, children, and pregnant women. 

How Do You Vet Your Ingredients?

Our mission has always revolved around making human-safe cleaning products. 

We have the highest standards for human-safe ingredients even before performance claims are considered, and all ingredients are safe for even the most sensitive groups. Every ingredient in every product is intentionally chosen by both our Product Development team and our founder, Marilee Nelson (an Environmental Toxins expert), before going to market. 

Breaking Down Our Glass Cleaner Formula

Unlike our other products, our Glass Cleaner does not use our signature Concentrate*. It requires a different natural preservative system to ensure it withstands the extended supply chain at retail stores. Still, we knew that getting a sparkling shine shouldn’t mean having to compromise on what’s in the bottle. 

If you’re looking for a safe glass cleaner option, our Glass Cleaner contains just five ingredients, each of which is MADE SAFE certified and has earned an EWG rating of 1 or 2, meaning it’s considered safe for use:

• Water - Carrier that helps blend ingredients together

• Organic Ethyl Alcohol - Solvent that can lift oils, fingerprints, and smudges while evaporating quickly to prevent streaks. 

• Decyl Glucoside - Plant-derived cleaner that breaks surface tension so grime releases from glass without foaming or residue. Gentle and biodegradable. 

• Sodium Gluconate - Chelator that binds minerals in tap water so they don’t dry into cloudy marks. 

• Sodium Carbonate - pH Adjuster that provides light alkalinity to help dissolve fingerprints or soap film without harshness. 

Not only were we able to create a human-safe glass cleaner with these five simple ingredients, but we created one that easily works to wipe away fingerprints, grease, and smudges from glass surfaces.

*Note: The Glass Cleaner is refillable like all of our other surface cleaners. If you choose to refill the bottle at home, wash it thoroughly first, fill it with distilled water, and add a drop of Concentrate. Both of these methods are effective cleaning solutions; our Glass Cleaner simply contains a slightly different formula as a ready-to-use option in retail. 

Our Human-Safe Promise

As we continue to add products to meet our customers’ needs, we’re more passionate than ever about our human-safe promise. No matter what, we’ll continue to prioritize human health before anything else, ensuring that Branch Basics remains safe for even the most sensitive groups. 

We want you to feel good about what goes into these products and ultimately, your home! That’s why we’ll continue to walk the talk of ingredient transparency, helping you stay informed and empowered. 

We truly feel honored to be part of your healthy home journey, and always love to hear from our customers. If you have questions, feel free to send us an email (info@branchbasics). We’re always here to help!