Actually, it doesn't work. That's been known for a long time.
Basically, your alcohol gets diluted to the point that many microbes actually aren't harmed by it. Keep in mind that ethanol and methanol are actually naturally occurring compounds at very low concentrations.
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-IronRaven
When a man dare not speak without malice for fear of giving insult, that is when truth starts to die. Truth is the truest freedom.