O fa'apotopotoga o le 'ava malosi o mea fa'aola o lo'o i ai se vaega o le hydroxyl (-OH), lea e fa'apipi'i i se kaponi atom.E masani ona faʻaaogaina e fai ma solvents, antiseptics, ma suauu.O nisi o fa'ata'ita'iga o fa'aputuga o le 'ava malosi o le ethanol (maua i meainu 'ava mālosi), methanol (fa'aaogaina e fai ma suau'u ma solvent), ma le isopropyl alcohol (fa'aaogaina e fai ma vailaau fa'ama'i).O vaila'au 'ava malosi e 'ese'ese le fa'aogaina i fale gaosi oloa e pei o vaila'au, mea teuteu, ma mea fa'amamā.