Mankhwala a mowa amatanthauza mitundu yambiri ya mankhwala omwe ali ndi gulu limodzi kapena angapo ogwira ntchito ya hydroxyl (-OH).Mankhwalawa amagwiritsidwa ntchito m'njira zosiyanasiyana, monga zosungunulira, mankhwala opha tizilombo, antifreeze, ndi zowonjezera mafuta.Ethanol, methanol, ndi isopropanol ndizomwe zimagwiritsidwa ntchito kwambiri pamakampani komanso moyo watsiku ndi tsiku.Mowa umagwiritsidwanso ntchito popanga mankhwala, zodzoladzola, ndi zokometsera zakudya.Komabe, kumwa mowa mopitirira muyeso kungawononge thanzi la munthu, kuphatikizapo kuwonongeka kwa chiwindi, kuledzera, ndi imfa.Choncho, m'pofunika kugwiritsa ntchito mankhwala oledzeretsa mosamala komanso motsatira malangizo a chitetezo.