Final answer:
Isopropyl alcohol is typically used to clean laminar flow hoods due to its effective antimicrobial properties and quick evaporation that leaves minimal residue.
Step-by-step explanation:
When cleaning a laminar flow hood, the solution typically used is isopropyl alcohol. This alcohol is effective at killing both bacteria and viruses, making it an ideal choice for disinfecting the sterile work environment provided by a laminar flow hood. Alcohol-based solutions, containing approximately 70% isopropyl alcohol or ethanol, work optimally by rapidly denaturing proteins and disrupting cell membranes, leading to cell lysis. While hydrogen peroxide can also be utilized for sterilization purposes, isopropyl alcohol's ability to quickly evaporate and leave minimal residue often makes it the preferred choice for cleaning laminar flow hoods used in laboratory and medical settings.