May one use or own rubbing alcohol?
The ingredients: Rubbing alcohol comes in two verities; Ethly rubbing alcohol and isopropyl rubbing alcohol. The alcohol content of the rubbing alcohol can be made from either isopropyl alcohol or ethanol-based alcohol. Isopropyl is a compound with the chemical formula C3H8O and is not grain based. Ethanol alcohol is grain based, although in many countries is produced from corn rather than from one of the five Chametz grains. Nonetheless, without verification, all ethanol-based rubbing alcohol is suspected that it may be made from Chametz. In general, many countries require that all ethanol-based rubbing alcohol be denatured, which means that a poisonous ingredient must be added to it, thus making it unfit for human consumption.
The law: Isoproply rubbing alcohol may be owned and used on Pesach. Likewise, denatured ethyl rubbing alcohol may be owned and used on Pesach if it was produced before Pesach.[1] Pure Chametz alcohol may not be used.[2]
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[1] See Igros Moshe 3:62
The reason: As it is no longer fit for human or dog consumption and hence falls under the allowance explained in Halacha 4 and the Q&A that all agree that we do not say Sicha Keshtiya when the item is used for medicinal purposes.
[2] Igros Moshe 3:62
The reason: As it is drunk by people in times of need for alcohol and therefore it may not be used and must be sold before Pesach. [Igros Moshe ibid]
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