There are other alcohols on the market that can work just was well for staining as ethanol. Methanol, isopropyl alcohol (IPA), and Flex are the most common and can be more cost effective for laboratories than using ethanol. Flex alcohol manufacturers combine ethanol, methanol, and IPA together in different mixtures, so be sure to get the content percentages (if possible). If you have any concerns about using a particular reagent on your stainer, always check with the instrument manufacturer for compatibility concerns. In the end, just make sure that you validate your stain.
