Surgical spirits can be effectively used to?

• A. Kill fungal infections
• B. Clean glassware
• C. Remove dust from surfaces
• D. Cool down equipment

Answer: (A)

Surgical spirits are an alcohol-based antiseptic. The alcohol works by denaturing proteins and disrupting cell membranes, which kills many microbes that are exposed to it, including fungi. Because of this, they’re effective for reducing fungal contamination on skin or surfaces when used for disinfection or pre-procedure skin prep.

They’re not the right choice for cleaning glassware, which is typically done with detergents and proper sterilization methods. They don’t remove dust, which is a mechanical cleaning task, and they aren’t used to cool equipment—alcohol evaporates quickly and would actually warm or scorch by rapid evaporation, not provide cooling.