How is rubbing alcohol made and can it be homemade?
Yes, it can be homemade, but in most parts of the world this involves distilling to produce a spirit, like producing whiskey or vodka, and is illegal. The raw alcohol produced by fermenting and distilling biomass (ie it doesn’t have to taste nice) is then blended with substances such as methyl salicylate (wintergreen) which have an effect on the skin’s circulation, and on its nervous supply, making the surface hot. This blending also makes the alcohol quite poisonous: drinking it will get you drunk but the effects on the lining of your stomach are spectacular. In the UK its known as “surgical spirit.
