短链脂族醇杀灭微生物的作用很快(30秒至10分钟),除叔醇外,其杀菌作用随分子量的增加而增强。然而,具实用杀菌价值的只有乙醇、异丙醇和正丙醇。乙醇对细菌芽胞无杀灭作用。据最近所知,乙醇在高浓度(>80％,v/v)具有很好的杀病毒(包括小核糖核酸病毒和乙肝病毒)作用, Short-chain aliphatic alcohol to kill microorganisms quickly (30 seconds to 10 minutes), in addition to tertiary alcohol, the bactericidal effect increases with the increase of molecular weight. However, there is only ethanol, isopropanol and n-propanol with practical bactericidal value. Ethanol does not kill bacterial spores. It has recently been known that ethanol has good viricidal effects (including Picornavirus and Hepatitis B virus) at high concentrations (> 80%, v / v)