ʻO ka pūhui kemika waiʻona kekahi ʻano o ka mea hoʻopulapula i loaʻa kahi hui hydroxyl (-OH) i hoʻopili ʻia i kahi ʻātoma kalapona.Hoʻohana maʻamau ia e like me ka solvent, ka wahie, a me ka disinfectant.Aia nā ʻano ʻano waiʻona like ʻole, e like me ka methanol, ethanol, propanol, a me ka butanol, me kēlā me kēia me nā waiwai a me nā hoʻohana like ʻole.ʻO ka Ethanol, no ka laʻana, ʻo ia ke ʻano o ka waiʻona i loaʻa i nā mea inu ʻona a hoʻohana ʻia hoʻi ma ke ʻano he biofuel.ʻO ka Methanol, ma ka ʻaoʻao ʻē aʻe, hoʻohana ʻia ma ke ʻano he mea hoʻoheheʻe ʻenehana a i ka hana ʻana i ka formaldehyde a me nā mea ʻē aʻe.ʻOiai he nui nā waiwai pono o ka waiʻona, hiki ke lilo i mea ʻawaʻawa a hiki ke puhi ʻia inā ʻaʻole mālama pono ʻia.