Xref: news7 rec.gardens.orchids:42705

One of our societies more prolific growers uses a TSP solution to sterilize
tools between cuts. I bought some, and intend to use it, but my husband
cringed and said it would harm the plants.

What say you all?

Diana

what's TSP?

"Diana Kulaga" wrote in message
rthlink.net...
One of our societies more prolific growers uses a TSP solution to
sterilize
tools between cuts. I bought some, and intend to use it, but my husband
cringed and said it would harm the plants.

What say you all?

Diana

Trisodium Phosphate

A cleaner that is banned in many areas because of the phosphate.




"Jerry Hoffmeister" wrote in message
.net...
what's TSP?

"Diana Kulaga" wrote in message
rthlink.net...
One of our societies more prolific growers uses a TSP solution to
sterilize
tools between cuts. I bought some, and intend to use it, but my husband
cringed and said it would harm the plants.

What say you all?

Diana

When I was in grad school, I used to use TSPP - tetrasodium pyrophosphate -
for disinfecting tools, as it was readily available through school, as it
was used a lot in clay slips and glazes.

With both chemicals, you need a strong solution and your tools need to soak,
not just be dipped. John is correct though, with the eutrification of
bodies of water due to the high phosphate content, it can be hard to find.
A one ounce per gallon bleach solution is just as good.

--

Ray Barkalow First Rays Orchids
http://www.firstrays.com
Secure Online Ordering & Lots of Free Info!


"John G. Talpa" wrote in message
...
Trisodium Phosphate

A cleaner that is banned in many areas because of the phosphate.




"Jerry Hoffmeister" wrote in message
.net...
what's TSP?

"Diana Kulaga" wrote in message
rthlink.net...
One of our societies more prolific growers uses a TSP solution to
sterilize
tools between cuts. I bought some, and intend to use it, but my
husband
cringed and said it would harm the plants.

What say you all?

Diana

On Fri, 21 Mar 2003 23:35:46 GMT, "Diana Kulaga"
wrote:

One of our societies more prolific growers uses a TSP solution to sterilize
tools between cuts. I bought some, and intend to use it, but my husband
cringed and said it would harm the plants.

What say you all?

Diana

Used to use this. You have to have a super saturated solution.
Mix it with hot water and add tsp until it will not dissolve.
When it cools some will drop out of solution. Now any tool that
is to be sterilized in this solution, MUST live in the solution.
It will RUST immediately if you put it on the shelf. This
requires you to have several cutting instruments soaking, so that
one is always available. It is not worth the RUST. There are
other means and better ways.


SuE
http://orchids.legolas.org/gallery/albums.php

Susan, I find that odd. I started using TSP mainly because I read that
it doesn't rust/corrode tools the way bleach does. In fact it said it
keeps metal bright and shiny. I've been using it for several years now.
Mainly I use knives (rarely clippers). I rinse off the knife to wash off
sap. I wash it with soap first if it has dried. The knife goes into the
TSP solution for a long time; hours, not minutes. Later I take it out,
rinse it off, and put it back in the drawer. No rust.

Steve



Susan Erickson wrote:

Used to use this. You have to have a super saturated solution.
Mix it with hot water and add tsp until it will not dissolve.
When it cools some will drop out of solution. Now any tool that
is to be sterilized in this solution, MUST live in the solution.
It will RUST immediately if you put it on the shelf. This
requires you to have several cutting instruments soaking, so that
one is always available. It is not worth the RUST. There are
other means and better ways.


SuE
http://orchids.legolas.org/gallery/albums.php

That's right John, it's banned here. I bought mine in Ohio when I was
visiting family. (I did find it in a new Lowes store once. I wonder if
someone made a mistake.)
When this subject comes up, I always post this warning: You need to be
sure you are using Trisodium Phosphate. When I first went looking for it
I found a product with TSP in big letters on the box. It was using TSP
as a brand name. It contained no Trisodium Phosphate and was a phosphate
free substitute. There is also a Sodium Triphosphate. That is not of any
use as far as I know. Read the label!

Steve (in the Adirondacks of northern NY)

John G. Talpa wrote:
Trisodium Phosphate

A cleaner that is banned in many areas because of the phosphate.

Susan Erickson wrote:

Used to use this. You have to have a super saturated solution.
Mix it with hot water and add tsp until it will not dissolve.
When it cools some will drop out of solution..........
................
SuE
http://orchids.legolas.org/gallery/albums.php

I've come back to your post with another comment/question.
I agree with the above. Everyone recommends a fully saturated solution.
I do the dissolving in hot water and, as you say, as it cools some
crystallizes in the bottom.
TSP works because it raises the pH so high. (I think Arron Hicks once
said it needs to be about pH 11 but don't quote me!) More gets dissolved
in hot water, less after it cools. Does the pH change when this happens?
I would think the pH would be higher at a higher temperature because
there is more TSP dissolved. I wonder what is really happening when I
keep my batch of TSP solution in my rather cool basement. (often upper
60s and never over mid 70s.)

Steve ... who should really learn how to text pH in the extreme
alkaline range!

Wow. I haven't hear that one in more years than I care to count. I think you
could probably accomplish the same thing with a saturated solution of just
about any salt including old fashionned NaCl. But as others point out, the
salts will rust your tools in no time. As a personal preference, I use
Physan were possible, and hypochlorite solutions elsewhere.

"Diana Kulaga" wrote in message
rthlink.net...
One of our societies more prolific growers uses a TSP solution to
sterilize
tools between cuts. I bought some, and intend to use it, but my husband
cringed and said it would harm the plants.

What say you all?

Diana

The first thing I did after reading a couple of these posts was to run out
to the garage and check the box of TSP that I bought (at Lowe's, BTW, in
plentiful supply). It is indeed trisodium phosphate as I thought, and has
all the appropriate warnings.

Interesting discussion, and the conclusion I draw is a definite, if not
resounding, fuggedaboudit. I'll go back to the old Clorox method. From the
label on the TSP, it looks like it would do a fabulous job on some stubborn
tile in one of our showers. Picture it........I'll be in the shower covered
from head to foot.

;op
Diana

humm.... I use a blow torch.

"John G. Talpa" wrote in message
...
Trisodium Phosphate

A cleaner that is banned in many areas because of the phosphate.




"Jerry Hoffmeister" wrote in message
.net...
what's TSP?

"Diana Kulaga" wrote in message
rthlink.net...
One of our societies more prolific growers uses a TSP solution to
sterilize
tools between cuts. I bought some, and intend to use it, but my
husband
cringed and said it would harm the plants.

What say you all?

Diana

On Sat, 22 Mar 2003 22:31:33 GMT, "Diana Kulaga"
wrote:

Interesting discussion, and the conclusion I draw is a definite, if not
resounding, fuggedaboudit. I'll go back to the old Clorox method. From the
label on the TSP, it looks like it would do a fabulous job on some stubborn
tile in one of our showers. Picture it........I'll be in the shower covered
from head to foot.

;op
Diana


I don't know about the tile. But it is a great furniture
stripper. If you have an old finish you want to remove.
SuE
http://orchids.legolas.org/gallery/albums.php