Isopropyl alcohol, commonly known as rubbing alcohol, is extremely useful around the house because it acts as both a solvent and a disinfectant. And it's cheap! All of this makes rubbing alcohol a nearly magical ingredient in so many useful homemade solutions.

Rubbing alcohol comes in varying strengths, from 70 percent all the way to 99 percent. While any of these strengths will work well in the five recipes I have for you today, 70 percent is the most common and typically the least expensive — a 16-ounce bottle for $1.29 is typical.

Always label homemade solutions clearly, and keep them out of the reach of children.

WINDSHIELD WASHER FLUID

3 cups rubbing alcohol

1 tablespoon liquid soap, like Blue Dawn

10 cups water

Pour ingredients into a gallon plastic jug. Shake thoroughly to mix. Pour in your car windshield washer reservoir in place of commercial washer fluid. Always shake prior to adding to the reservoir. The alcohol speeds the drying time, and prevents the windows from freezing or cracking in the winter. Car windows can also be washed using this solution.

EYEGLASS LENS AND SCREEN CLEANER

1 part rubbing alcohol

1 part cup water

1 drop liquid soap, like Blue Dawn

Combine ingredients in a small spray bottle, and shake to mix well. Spray onto a microfiber cloth rather than directly onto lenses, computer screens or other screens, and rub to clean away all the fingerprints and dirty grime.

ALL-PURPOSE LIQUID CLEANER

2 cups rubbing alcohol

1 tablespoon dishwashing liquid, like Blue Dawn

1 tablespoon household ammonia

1 tablespoon vinegar

Pour ingredients into a gallon jug. Fill with warm water, and shake. You can put this in a spray bottle and use as you would Windex. It's great for cleaning windows, chrome and bath fixtures, too!

HEAVY-DUTY WINDOW CLEANER

1/2 cup household ammonia

2 cups rubbing alcohol

1 teaspoon liquid dishwashing detergent, like Blue Dawn

Water

Mix ammonia, alcohol and detergent in gallon jug. Fill to the top with water. Shake before each use. This solution is great for cleaning really dirty windows, taking tape marks off windows and removing soap film from shower doors.

GRANITE CLEANER

1/4 cup rubbing alcohol

3 drops Blue Dawn dishwashing liquid

5 drops essential oil (optional, but makes it smell great)

Water

Pour rubbing alcohol, soap and essential oil into a 16-ounce spray bottle. Add enough water to fill the bottle. Label, and keep out of reach of children. Shake to mix. From now on, use this cleaner to keep your countertops beautifully clean and shiny without wrecking the sealant or causing any harm to the granite.

Mary invites questions, comments and tips at [email protected], or c/o Everyday Cheapskate, 12340 Seal Beach Blvd., Suite B-416, Seal Beach, CA 90740. This column will answer questions of general interest, but letters cannot be answered individually. Mary Hunt is the founder of www.DebtProofLiving.com, a personal finance member website and the author of "Debt-Proof Living," released in 2014. To find out more about Mary and read her past columns, please visit the Creators Syndicate webpage at www.creators.com.