Life span of mixed BTF sanitizer

I used BTF sanitizer on everything. I love the stuff. Dip and done. However, I want to have a gallon jug or something available for quick jobs since it is a pain to make anything less than 5 gallons. (1 tbsp per 5 gallons).

My question is, how long can I keep a premixed solution in another container (ie. old water jug or spray bottle) without losing effectiveness? Is there a sanitizer that will keep longer mixed?

Thanks!

No idea on the lifespan - star-san seems to be the method of choice to have a longer-life sanitizer - but you could mix up 1/2 teaspoon to 3 quarts + 1-1/3 cups and be at the same concentration (1 teaspoon is 1/3 tablespoon, and the amount of water given is 1/6 of 5 gallons)

I believe Iodophor has a fairly short life span once mixed. If you want to keep something on hand for extended periods of time, Star san is the way to go.

Repsychler said:

I believe Iodophor has a fairly short life span once mixed. If you want to keep something on hand for extended periods of time, Star san is the way to go.

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You believe wrong....Starsan and iodophor are about the same IF you are using distilled or pre-boiled water. If you are mixing with tap water, then the loss of effectiveness is quite rapid, for both of them. (The minerals in the water causes both to fade out in power and effectiveness quite rapidly.)

Iodophor works til the straw color fades....(a couple days in open air, longer in sealed containers.)

I keep a spray bottle filled with iodophor and distilled water...It stays effective in that sealed medium for a couple months...the color doesn't fade for quite awhile.


One thing a lot of us do is that when the color starts to fade in a bucket full of iodophor, we add a few drops until the straw color returns.

That's why I like Iodaphor. It's got a built in strength indicator.

Bobby_M said:

That's why I like Iodaphor. It's got a built in strength indicator.

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I thought starsan did too...or is the only way to tell with ph strips?