Isopropyl alcohol (IPA), also known as isopropanol, is a volatile organic solvent with the chemical formula C₃H₈O. It is an amphiphilic alcohol, meaning it contains both a water-attracting (hydrophilic) hydroxyl group and an oil-attracting (lipophilic) hydrocarbon group. This allows it to mix with water while also dissolving many oils, waxes, resins, and lipids.
In gardening and plant care, IPA is commonly used as a contact insecticide and disinfectant. It can kill soft-bodied pests such as spider mites, mealybugs, aphids, and whiteflies by disrupting protective lipids, damaging cell membranes, and accelerating desiccation. Because it evaporates rapidly and has little residual activity, it affects only the pests it directly contacts.
IPA can also damage plant tissues. By dissolving epicuticular waxes and disrupting cuticular lipids, it may increase water loss, reduce the effectiveness of the leaf cuticle, and cause leaf burn or necrotic spotting, particularly at higher concentrations or with repeated applications.
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