The Endless Hunt for Rubbing Alcohol

*possible slight hyperbole*

Day in and day out I seek it. Every store says they are sold out. Every time that I call or ask in-person, they say it's sold out. No one ever knows when the next shipment will come in. Same story. Same lines by employees.

I secretly wonder if the employees are hiding/buying them for themselves. Maybe creating a black market of it. lol.

Stores even have limits on them. I was told by Costco it's all sold out with a day and a half or so of arrival.

One Target employee said to check a traditional stand alone pharmacy (CVS, Walgreens, etc.). That would be my best best he said. If you spot any, could you please list where you found it (store type - not necessarily city) and when?

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Back when people were having trouble finding TP I had posted that if you have a Visa card their concierge service could help you find some. Wonder if that would work for rubbing alcohol, too?

Happiness is not a goal; it is a by-product. Eleanor Roosevelt

I had some on hand and I use it sparingly It will not last forever.

Some time ago, I posted that similar stores were consistently out of gloves. Those have returned to shelves. I had some on hand and did not run out, fortunately. I suggest that you hand in there and wait a few weeks.

Meanwhile, when I saw numerous double stacked train cars going away, I wondered if covid supplies were being shipped to governments or VIPs instead of being deposited onto local and regional retail shelves for the masses to use. That was an unusual sight on the tracks, for here.

Bach is not noise, Madam. (Robert, in Two's Company)

70% Isopropyl alcohol
walmart.com
Target instore
Grocery Outlet instore

Never paid more than $2 a bottle. Just got some last week too.

I used to get mine at the Dollar Tree. Hydrogen peroxide too. Now no one has either one anywhere.

I think it's being in the right place at the right time. It was on my list of things to always look for, wherever I was. I finally found 70% isopropyl at a grocery store. There were 5 bottles remaining on the shelf. The pharmacist told me the shelf had been fully loaded, three deep, when they opened about five hours earlier. I bought two bottles. When putting them away, I pulled out a half-full bottle that had a 2012 expiration date on it. Presumably, it loses effectiveness, but I didn't throw it away.

I saw it last week at Dollar Tree and Big Lots.

All the Targets and grocery stores in my area (San Diego, CA) have been well-stocked with 70% isopropyl alcohol for the past month or so. There's no purchase limit anymore.

Your best bet is going to the store right at opening. The later you go in the day, the less likely it'll be in stock.

I read that diabetic people need rubbing alcohol to sterilize their needles for injections.

Others are buying it up to create their own hand sanitizers. Others, like me, probably like it just for it's all-purpose surface cleaning usage. I like to wipe the toilet seat cover with it usually.

But, yeah, I suppose each state and city are different. I've gone early in the morning and it's still not in stock.

I am fortunate to have an HEB where I shop almost exclusively. They have everything in stock and have throughout COVID. There was a 4 week period they were low on Tpaper, baby wipes and hand sanitizer in April, but if I went in the morning I could find it.

Ordering online may cost you a bit more and there are many options there, and there's nothing like the convenience of having it delivered to your doorstep.

@bjones4583 wrote:

Ordering online may cost you a bit more and there are many options there, and there's nothing like the convenience of having it delivered to your doorstep.

I'll have to look into that. I know for Target curbside, there are certain items that you cannot get for curbside delivery. I could be wrong, but they seem to be COVID staples, such as paper towels, toilet paper, etc. In fact, they have limits on only being allowed to buy one or two of such cleaning and essential items.

The racks of stores here are ALWAYS cleared out of rubbing alcohol. So, I'm not sure delivery would even work, as there may be nothing to deliver.

I wish we could just pre-order/reserve some.

I use alcohol for my granite countertops. I have repurposed liquid hand sanitizer (not the gel) that a distillery produced sold in a liquor bottle. I found this at Ollies but have seen similar in other stores. I have one bottle of 91% rubbing alcohol left purchased pre pandemic and a few big bottles of the 70% I got from Walmart.com after it got started. I used to pick up bottles all the time when I needed a small item to round out the $9 purchase requirement with grocery shops. Back then they were far less than a dollar and I find that is no longer the case. Hyperinflation!?

I have seen some behind the counter at a beauty supply store, yet way overpriced.

Good luck!

I have it in my town in NW Indiana I just can’t find the Wintergreen I still have 1/2 a bottle typically I purchase both

I am waiting for the next exciting opportunity!

@GApeach wrote:

I use alcohol for my granite countertops. I have repurposed liquid hand sanitizer (not the gel) that a distillery produced sold in a liquor bottle. I found this at Ollies but have seen similar in other stores. I have one bottle of 91% rubbing alcohol left purchased pre pandemic and a few big bottles of the 70% I got from Walmart.com after it got started. I used to pick up bottles all the time when I needed a small item to round out the $9 purchase requirement with grocery shops. Back then they were far less than a dollar and I find that is no longer the case. Hyperinflation!?

Walmart's smaller bottles were $.99 and larger ones at $1.49 pre-COVID in my area. I have no idea what they sell for now, as no one has any.

My last day at Target and Walmart for non-senior hours shopping was March 13th, I believe. Both stores were totally out. I've been back to Target a few times. Nothing. I've had relatives look for me in my area. They also say it cannot be found.

My $100 worth of 70% rubbing alcohol from Amazon arrived recently.

Was it worth it? I dunno. It's hard to get locally. It is 6x more expensive for the same quantities via Amazon. I know it's price-gouging, but given the shortages and coming winter months when shopping could be more scary, I chose to stock up.

This supply could last a year, so that's nice.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/29/2020 08:56PM by shoptastic.

Have to set up a still and make my own. It is getting to that point. Oh, wait then I will start drinking again.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/05/2020 07:01AM by 2stepps.

@shoptastic wrote:

My $100 worth of 70% rubbing alcohol from Amazon arrived recently.

Was it worth it? I dunno. It's hard to get locally. It is 6x more expensive for the same quantities via Amazon. I know it's price-gouging, but given the shortages and coming winter months when shopping could be more scary, I chose to stock up.

This supply could last a year, so that's nice.

It's in stock online at walmart.com and has been for over a month.

[www.walmart.com]

I was also told by a cousin it's at Walgreens here apparently.

*sigh*

The various grocery stores, Costco, and Target never had any when I checked for months. Ah well. . .I do have a year's worth and mine expire 2022 and 2023, so I'm still happy I got some before going into the winter season.

Thanks to the first time you posted this, I am now well stocked! It's the best price I've seen around, especially given the size of the bottle.

@SoCalMama wrote:

@shoptastic wrote:

My $100 worth of 70% rubbing alcohol from Amazon arrived recently.

Was it worth it? I dunno. It's hard to get locally. It is 6x more expensive for the same quantities via Amazon. I know it's price-gouging, but given the shortages and coming winter months when shopping could be more scary, I chose to stock up.

This supply could last a year, so that's nice.

It's in stock online at walmart.com and has been for over a month.

[www.walmart.com]

Kim

@kimmiemae wrote:

Thanks to the first time you posted this, I am now well stocked! It's the best price I've seen around, especially given the size of the bottle.

@SoCalMama wrote:

@shoptastic wrote:

My $100 worth of 70% rubbing alcohol from Amazon arrived recently.

Was it worth it? I dunno. It's hard to get locally. It is 6x more expensive for the same quantities via Amazon. I know it's price-gouging, but given the shortages and coming winter months when shopping could be more scary, I chose to stock up.

This supply could last a year, so that's nice.

It's in stock online at walmart.com and has been for over a month.

[www.walmart.com]

I was at a Walmart Neighborhood Marketplace store yesterday, and the guy behind me in the checkout lane had 4 16 oz sized bottles of rubbing alcohol. So I just thought, well, this store is well stocked!

ETA: Changed the bottle size...just realized they weren't quart sized, but were the more normal, often seen 15 oz size bottles.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/11/2020 08:02PM by guysmom.

Wow! That's great! I have to say, they've been pretty big bottles so I was a little surprised. They do limit you to one 2-pack of bottles when you order online but that's better than nothing.

@guysmom wrote:

@kimmiemae wrote:

Thanks to the first time you posted this, I am now well stocked! It's the best price I've seen around, especially given the size of the bottle.

@SoCalMama wrote:

@shoptastic wrote:

My $100 worth of 70% rubbing alcohol from Amazon arrived recently.

Was it worth it? I dunno. It's hard to get locally. It is 6x more expensive for the same quantities via Amazon. I know it's price-gouging, but given the shortages and coming winter months when shopping could be more scary, I chose to stock up.

This supply could last a year, so that's nice.

It's in stock online at walmart.com and has been for over a month.

[www.walmart.com]
I was at a Walmart Neighborhood Marketplace store yesterday, and the guy behind me in the checkout lane had 4 quart sized bottles of rubbing alcohol. So I just thought, well, this store is well stocked!

Kim

My toilet seats will be clean now.

*great use*

I'm going to look up how to make Vodka or maybe ever clear. Used to use the ever clear to clean electronics when I first started in that field back in the 70s.

I went into Walmart (just before they closed = less people) and I was able to find 32 oz bottles of alcohol for 2.18. They had smaller ones (a lot of them) for a dollar something.

Kim

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The Endless Hunt for Rubbing Alcohol

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