Iodophor lasting power

If i make up a 3 gal bucket of iodophor solution and keep it covered how long will it keep its sanitizing properties? Will I be able to use it till its gone, say maybe a few months?

Its usually only good for a week tops, Star san is good for longer 30 days or more.

Iodophor is only good for around 12 hours. That's why I use Star-San

Ive read a lot of the info, and I go with Rick....If you use distilled water, and if you close it up to air (like with a bucket lid) you can keep it viable for about a week.

(In a squirt bottle with distilled water, it lasts for months)

You go by color to asses viability....another thing to do when it fades is to "spike" it with a little more iodophor to bring it back to straw color.....

If I don't seal up a bucket, and use tap water, I only get about 24 hours of usage before it fades....

But since I use bulk iodine teet anesceptic that I buy frm TSC for 14 bucks a gallon, I can afford to be a little wasteful with it...especially since I often alternate sanitization with starsan to keep ahead of any house germs I may develop...

There's a lot of great tips and info about sanitizing with iodophor or starsan (a lot of it that I dug up and posted early last year) in here.... https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f39/sanitizer-question-54932/?highlight=Sanitizer+question

There's a chemist on here somewhere who can tell us why but Iodophor doesn't last once mixed up the way the acid-based sanitzers can.

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f11/what-sanitisers-cleaners-used-43688/

Edit: See above

If the Color fades it is no good anymore, However I have had luck letting it sit for 4 1/2 days. However If the OP is leaving for a couple of monthes I doubt any sanitizer Will last.

Thanks guys

RICLARK said:

If the Color fades it is no good anymore, However I have had luck letting it sit for 4 1/2 days. However If the OP is leaving for a couple of monthes I doubt any sanitizer Will last.

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+1 to this!

Dutchboy:

Why do you need to mix up so much at once? I rarely make more than a gallon at a time, and that's for brewdays and sanitizing multiple kegs. A squirt bottle lets me mix iodophot a liter at a time, and keeps my usage way down.

jds said:

Dutchboy:

Why do you need to mix up so much at once? I rarely make more than a gallon at a time, and that's for brewdays and sanitizing multiple kegs. A squirt bottle lets me mix iodophot a liter at a time, and keeps my usage way down.

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That's true...even to sanitize a 5 gallon pale or carboy you can swish and swirl a gallon (or however many liters that would be.

A squirt bottle is a beautiful thing...and for tools you can also use a wallpaper tray.

I do not need to make that much but i figured if i will last y not just make big batch so i have it on hand when needed

I can get by with 1/2 gallon for any brew session. A small amount goes in a spray bottle, the rest is sloshed in the carboys. That means I'll run out in like 5 years.