Dear Mary Ann Cesario

Ethanol is much better bactericidal agent than Methanol in all concentrations.

Best Regards

Hi,

70-75% of ethanol is good bactericidal agent.

Dear Mary Ann Cesario

Ethanol at higher concentrations (100%, 90% and 80%) showed higher effectiveness On different spp of staphylococcus

for more informations please see below artical

Elzain AM, Elsanousi SM, Ibrahim MEA, effectiveness of ethanol and methanol alcohols on different isolates of staphylococcus species. J Bacteriol Mycol open access. 2019;7(4):71-73. DOI:10.15406/jbmoa. 2019.07.00247

According to my preveous works,

both of them is good.

70% ethanol is the optimum strength killing within seconds although the official figure given is 2 minutes. It is less effective at 80, 90 & 100% than 70%. Iso propanol is also effective at killing staphs and can be used at a lower concentration of 60%. I wouldn't use methanol as an antimicrobial agent.

I agree with Don Sharpe except that I don't see why methanol is not as effective as ethanol, but I have no personal evidence. Especially if the staph are suspended in a proteinaceous medium, concentrations above 70% are less effective, and it is thought this is because of rapid denaturing of the protein in the medium thus protecting to some extent the staphylococci. Isopropanol 60% is also very effective. Another factor in many countries is that ethanol is taxed at a high rate unless denatured by addition of methanol, so I would go for the cheaper, effective isopropanol.

Go with Ethanol (70 or 80% conc.).