Mankhwala a mowa ndi mankhwala omwe ali ndi gulu la hydroxyl (-OH), lomwe limamangiriridwa ku atomu ya carbon.Nthawi zambiri amagwiritsidwa ntchito ngati zosungunulira, antiseptics, ndi mafuta.Zitsanzo zina za mankhwala a mowa ndi ethanol (omwe amapezeka mu zakumwa zoledzeretsa), methanol (omwe amagwiritsidwa ntchito ngati mafuta ndi zosungunulira), ndi mowa wa isopropyl (wogwiritsidwa ntchito ngati mankhwala ophera tizilombo).Mowa umagwiritsidwa ntchito mosiyanasiyana m'mafakitale monga mankhwala, zodzoladzola, ndi zotsukira.