Why it’s so Important to Check Sanitizers Daily

Adding a specific amount of sanitizer to water is known to provide a particular concentration. So why is it so essential to make sure you’re testing your sanitizers daily with sanitizer test kits and strips? Here are a few of the reasons it’s is so critical.

1. Chemicals deteriorate. Even if your sanitizer is supposed to produce a specific concentration, you may not realize that these chemicals can deteriorate over time. This is especially true if you have a large amount of sanitizer on site. Sanitizers deteriorate even faster if you store them in warm or hot environments. As chemicals degrade, sanitizers won’t have the same strength they originally did, so testing daily is crucial.
2. Food particles affect the sanitizer. If wet wiping cloths are stored in containers, those containers also need to have the correct amount of sanitizer. When any food particles get into the cloths and into the sanitizer, they will affect the active ingredient. This means that these containers will not only need to be changed a couple of times each day, but you’ll need to use test strips to ensure the sanitizer remains at the correct level.
3. Dishwashers may not work correctly. Dishwashers that make use of sanitizer may appear to be working, but if they’re not delivering the sanitizer correctly, equipment and utensils aren’t being sanitized the way they should be. Even if a washer worked previously, it could have a failure the next day. It’s essential to not only check the dishwasher, but also to check the sanitizer to make sure it’s active and being delivered correctly to the surfaces of equipment.

Common Questions About Sanitizer Test Kits and Strips

1. Why should I test my sanitizers? According to Food and Drug Administration guidelines, food service establishments need to sanitize equipment based upon certain parameters, which vary based upon the type of sanitizing agent you choose to use. With sanitizer test strips, you’re able to ensure your sanitizer agents are of the correct pH, strength and temperature to ensure equipment is sanitized effectively. We also provide products that make it possible to check dishwashing machine temperatures to ensure they’re reaching the right temperatures needed to sanitize flatware, dishes and other equipment.
2. How should I use sanitizer test strips? Every set of strips you purchase comes with its own instructions that you’ll need to follow. However, for most strips, you just need to bring them in contact with the sanitizer solution. After a few moments, the strips will change color, and that color will show you the strength of the sanitizer agent you’re testing. The tube or box of the strips has a comparison scale you can use, so you know what strength your solution is and if you need to make any changes.
3. What are dishwasher test kits? Dishwashers used in the food service industry (and other industries) need to reach and maintain certain temperatures to meet FDA codes. You can use special test strips to ensure that your dishwasher is reaching the correct temperature, so you can be sure your dishes and other items are being completely sanitized.
4. What’s the difference between test kits and strips? Sanitizer test kits not only include strips, but they also usually come with some other helpful accessories. Those accessories vary depending on the specific kit you buy, but a few examples include dispensers for strips, wall mounts for those strip dispensers, and posters with instructions that can easily be placed on the wall. Kits are designed to make it easier to test, so you and your staff stay current on testing solutions and equipment regularly. Remember, regular testing not only keeps you in compliance with FDA regulations, but it improves your customer safety as well.

Sanitizer Test Strips and Kits on WeberScientific.com

At Weber Scientific, we offer a wide variety of sanitizer test kits and strips to help your business stay compliant with regulations while ensuring that your sanitization practices keep customers safe. We also provide options for checking laboratory glassware, such as our Bromothymol Blue pH Indicator.

Whether you’re testing for water quality, hydrion chlorine or other sanitizers, we offer test paper strips that make it fast and easy to check out the strength of sanitizers in cleaning solutions and dishwashing rinses. We offer a wide range of Insta-Test test strips as well for alkalinity, chlorine dioxide, total chlorine, hardness, pH, peracetic acid, peroxide and more.

Learn more about Weber Scientific

For more than 30 years, Weber Scientific has been providing sanitation supplies for the food service industry, laboratories and more, and the parent company, NJDL Supplies, Inc., has been around even longer. We not only work to provide our customers with the very best in sanitizer test kits and strips, but we also work to ensure that every client is provided with personal service. We offer an excellent product selection and great prices, but we also pride ourselves in providing you with the best possible service.

Not only do we offer free freight upgrades, but we also have a frequent buyer program that gives you some great perks. And when you purchase sanitizer test strips from our company, they come with a 100% satisfaction guarantee. We know that sanitation is essential for your company, and the right test strips and kits can help you protect customers from getting ill while protecting your facility’s reputation. We’re proud to work along with you to meet those goals, and you can expect the very best in products when you buy from Weber Scientific .