Accidentally Watered My Plants with Rubbing Alcohol—What Should I Do?
Asked by CuriousCabbage93
Hey everyone, I made a bit of a mistake. I usually fill my watering can with water from an empty 76% rubbing alcohol bottle. I recently bought a new bottle of alcohol and marked it, but while watering my balcony plants, I accidentally filled my watering can with a mix of alcohol and water (about 1/3 to 1/2 full). I watered four of my plants, and now they seem to be leaking a bit. I can still smell some alcohol in the water that's draining out. I'm really worried about whether I should add more water to dilute it further or if that might hurt my plants more. Any advice?
Answers
You should definitely try adding more water to help dilute the alcohol. Just keep in mind not to drown them completely—aim for a good rinse without flooding the soil too much. It might just save them!
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Honestly, if they don’t survive, just grab some new ones! They were cheap and only a couple of months old. You could always replant if needed, but let them settle for now and see how they do after a few days.
CuriousCabbage93: Yeah, at this point, it is what it is. I'll just monitor them and hope for the best!
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I think you could get a better watering can next time, lol. Just be careful with the bottles you use! If you did flush them already, they might bounce back without too much fuss.
CuriousCabbage93: Right? Next time, I’ll stick to something more obvious like a pomegranate juice bottle!
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WaterWagon36: But what if I end up overdoing it? I'm worried it might cause more harm than good.