Valve Sanitation

I'm brewing my first batch (triple hopped ale), in a Williams fermentor with the spout at the bottom. One week into fermentation I used the spout to take out some beer for a hydrometer reading.
-Is the residue beer that is now on the spout a potential issue for bacteria when I siphon it out?
-Should i just cotton swab some sanitizer right before i siphon?

Appreciate any input...

When ever we take samples using the spout on our fermenter, we just take a piece of kitchenpaper and dry the in- and out side of the spout. Not sure if this is the best way, but we never had any problems with it!

I have a spray bottle full of sani lying around at all times and am pretty anal about using it.

Before I take a stopper out of a carboy, I spray it down first. Take a lid off of a bucket to transfer, I spray it down first. Take a sample from a valve? Spray it down afterwards.

Is it potential for bacteria? Yes.

You say 'siphon' but mention using the valve. Those aren't the same thing. I personally don't use the valve when transferring. Too much trub and dead yeast. If you plan on siphoning, you wouldn't use the valve.

"You say 'siphon' but mention using the valve. Those aren't the same thing. I personally don't use the valve when transferring."

Yea I meant just attaching a hose to the valve, rather than actually siphoning, sorry.

I only used that valve when I bottled using it as a bottling bucket. I always siphon off of the top when racking to another vessel. Now that I keg, I wish I didn't have that valve on the couple of buckets that have them.

What's your reason for always siphoning off the top when racking??

Well the valves are on my 'primary' fermenters and sit at or near enough to the yeast cake that some ends up transferring with the beer. I get a clearer beer by siphoning off of the top by leaving almost all of the trub behind. And I only have valves on 2 of my 6 fermenters.