 11. Surprising users for rubbing alcohol You have it in your medicine cabinet and probably do not use it all that much, but really it's a go-to staple for cleaning, deodorizing and so much more. Most people keep rubbing alcohol in their bathroom and use it as a disinfectant for cut sorrows as sterilizer for things like tweezers, but there are other great household uses, too. We asked Linda Cobb, aka, the Queen of Clean, and author of the best-selling book, Talking Dirty with the Queen of Clean, for her favorite tricks, rubbing alcohol can be a very effective cleaner. Says Cobb But not for everything, though commonly touted on the web to do everything from clean makeup brushes to see the sunburn. Cobb says it can dry out both your brushes and skin, so steer clear. What is rubbing alcohol great for? These 11 things 1. All-purpose stain remover Combined with water, rubbing alcohol can be a great spot remover that works on a wide variety of stains from ink to coffee, says Cobb. In one part rubbing alcohol with two parts water to make the spotter, if you use a large spray bottle you can add one bottle of alcohol and two of the alcohol bottles filled with water. Spray this on spots and spills, wait a few minutes, then launder as usual. 2. Bathroom cleaner Metacloth of paper towel with rubbing alcohol and rub firmly on bathroom fixtures, says Cobb. But with a soft cloth and dry paper towel, this works well for water spots, 2. She adds 3. Window cleaner This formula from Cobb uses no water, combine one pine rubbing alcohol, two tablespoons of ammonia and two tablespoons liquid dish soap, apply to the window using a nylon-covered sponge. Rinse and buff dry, this is also great for screen stains, hard water spots and bird stains, she says. 4. Shoe polisher If you're polishing shoes, first rub them with a little undiluted rubbing alcohol, says Cobb. The polish will go on smoother. 5. Grass stain remover Grass stains can be particularly difficult to get out, undiluted rubbing alcohol works wonders on grass stains, says Cobb. Work it into the stain. Let sit 10 minutes and launder as usual. 6. Appliance cleaner Mix two parts rubbing alcohol and one part water in a spray bottle, spray on your appliances and buff clean, this also works on stainless steel appliances and leaves them streak free. 7. Make a deodorizer If you're running shoes smell funky, this can work to take away the smell, but the smelly areas needs to be saturated, says Cobb, take rubbing alcohol, put some in a spray bottle and spray inside the shoes, let dry overnight, and the odour should be gone. 8. Tick remover There's a popular tip from around the web, which works sometimes, but not always, says Cobb. The idea is to stand the tick with the rubbing alcohol so it lets go and is easy to remove, says Cobb. There's no harm in trying, if you've got a tick, put rubbing alcohol on a cotton ball and gently rub it on the area with the tick, then use tweezers, as usual, to remove. 9. Nail polish remover This works in a pinch if you do not have real nail polish remover in the house, but it's a little bit of a problem, so it's not a problem. 9. Get the nail polish remover Nail polish remover Nail polish remover This works in a pinch if you do not have real nail polish remover in the house, put some rubbing alcohol onto a cotton ball and rub over the polish, it might take some rubbing, but the polish will come off. 11. Windshield washer fluid Combine one quarter rubbing alcohol, one cup water and two tablespoons liquid dish washing soap, laundry detergent, says Cobb, this solution should not freeze even at 30 degrees below zero.