ʻO nā pūhui waiʻona he mau mea olaola i loaʻa kahi pūʻulu hydroxyl (-OH), i hoʻopili ʻia i kahi ʻātoma kalapona.Hoʻohana pinepine ʻia lākou e like me nā solvents, antiseptic, a me nā wahie.ʻO kekahi mau hiʻohiʻona o nā pūhui waiʻona he ethanol (loaʻa i loko o nā mea inu ʻawaʻawa), methanol (hoʻohana ʻia ma ke ʻano he wahie a me ka solvent), a me ka waiʻona isopropyl (hoʻohana ʻia ma ke ʻano he antiseptic).ʻO nā pūhui waiʻona he nui nā ʻano hoʻohana i nā ʻoihana e like me nā lāʻau lapaʻau, nā mea hoʻonaninani, a me nā huahana hoʻomaʻemaʻe.